A.R. Gould School

Catherine Curry, Principal Gould logo

Melody Brown, IEP Coordinator/Special Services

Kristan Tod, Project IMPACT Coordinator

Peter Hennessy, Guidance Counselor

Arthur R. Gould School and its Community…

The A.R. Gould School is an accredited, public, diploma-granting high school and alternative education program for youth in the care of the Maine Department of Corrections. The goal of the program is to support all students in achieving academic success and preparing students for re-entry into the community.

Anime drawing activity with residents led by a professional artist.

Mock Trial event hosted by A. R Gould — Mock Trial event hosted by A.R. Gould

A.R. Gould provides curriculum that meets state and national standards and is delivered by certified teachers. The school's goal is to provide curriculum that is relevant, engaging, and designed to prepare students for e-entry.

The school works with in-house partners, Day One, Restorative Justice, mental health, and the volunteer office to enhance education opportunities for our students. AR Gould also partners with community programs to provide a variety of academic enrichment that meets the needs and wants of students.

A.R. Gould focuses on individualized learning and meeting students where they are. The school is driven by student interests and needs. Training and professional development focus on providing students with unconditional positive regard and creating safe classroom spaces that encourage learning. This is further supported by training and professional development around trauma and its impact on teenage development and learning. Programming at A.R. Gould seeks to provide students rigorous academic opportunities and to foster and develop student interests.

Graduation Requirements

Students must earn 20 credits to receive an AR Gould Diploma. These credits include: 4 English, 3 Mathematics, 3 Science (1 Lab Science), 3 Social Studies (1 US History), 1 Physical Education, 0.5 Health, 1 Fine Arts, and 4.5 Electives.

Academic Programs

Cells created by students in science class

A.R. Gould school is staffed by content area specialists and support staff who work to provide comprehensive, thoughtful academic programming to our students.

Current academic programs include:

English
Social Studies
Science
Math
Physical Education and Health
Fine Arts

Vocational Programs

AR Gould’s Vocational Program provides job specific technical training for work in a specific career cluster and industry exposure.

These programs generally focus on providing students with hands-on instruction resulting in certifications and attaining credits towards graduation.

Our vocational program also includes career exploration programming, soft skills training, and assisting students in learning how to search, interview, and be successful in the workforce.

Vocational programming at A.R. Gould utilizes community partnerships and technology to provide a wealth of vocational opportunities for our students.

Current Vocational programming includes:

Culinary Arts
Small Engines
OSHA Certifications
Driver Safety and Pre-CDL
Welding
Agriculture
Entrepreneurship

AR Gould will be collaborating with community providers to give student access to academic Driver’s Education courses. Students will have the opportunity to complete the classwork required to earn their permit and then be connected to community providers to complete their driving hours.

Clubs and Organizations

A.R. Gould staff and community partners collaborate to provide students places to foster and develop new and existing interests. Community partners include the Portland Public Library, Thomas College, Bowdoin College, and Friends of Long Creek. This has resulted in several clubs and organizations targeting student interests.

Current clubs and co-curricular opportunities include:

Basketball (Noon Ball)
Digimon Club
Dungeons and Dragons Club
Resident/Student Council E-Sports
Poetry (through Portland Public Library)
Russian Language Club
Dance Programming
Music Writing and Recording
Yoga
Crochet Club
Stock Market Game
Creative Writing and Zine Making
Academic Skill Development

In addition to co-curricular programming provided by the school students can engage in programming developed by the Recreation Department and Volunteers program. This includes one on one mentoring, community service projects, and team sports. The Recreation and Volunteer Departments will create programs to meet any students needs or interests, ensuring that all students have access to any programming they are interested in.

Creek to College

T A.R. Gould he Creek to College program has existed at Long Creek Youth Development Center for over ten years. This program connects students to college opportunities through a vibrant relationship with Southern Main Community College. The program is run by an onsite instructor who provides instruction in a variety of introductory and English courses. Visiting professors supplement those courses and provide students opportunities to engage in an array of college programming. Current college courses include Academic Success Seminar, English Literature, Oral Communications, Introduction to Business, and Introduction to Sociology. Students have also engaged with Anthropology, Psychology, and other interest-based courses in the last academic year.

In addition to courses offered in person at A.R. Gould, through partnership with the Friends of Long Creek students can enroll individually in interest-based courses taught electronically including music production and engineering. A new partnership with MIT allowed students to participate in a leadership and personal development course in the spring of 2022.

Many of our high school students enroll in college courses and receive dual credit, earning both a college and high school credit simultaneously.

Resources and Supports

Special Education Services

A.R. Gould has a fully certified Special Services Department. This department focuses on creating and implementing learning plans to meet the individual needs of A.R. Gould students.

Food prepared by culinary Arts students for events in the facility — Food prepared by Culinary Arts students for events in the facility

A.R. Gould’s Special Services Department collaborates with local school districts to support students in transition and develop meaningful re-entry plans.

Project IMPACT

A.R. Gould graduation — A.R. Gould Graduation

Project IMPACT (Interagency Model Project for Academic and Correctional Transition) serves as the education liaison between Long Creek’s incarcerated youth and their public-school systems. The project is funded through the Maine Department of Education and serves to link educational services with system involved youth to ensure that transition in and out of LCYDC is seamless for juveniles.

Project IMPACT serves two distinct populations inside LCYDC. For committed or adjudicated youth Project IMAPCT offers transition services to students as they re-enter their communities. Project IMPACT notifies the school of an impending transition and then creates a transition plan. School reintegration meetings are held between LCYDC, A.R. Gould, field officers, family members and the community school to develop transition plans that allow for student success.

For detained or non-adjudicated students Project IMPACT serves as a link between community-based education and students during their time at LCYDC. This includes facilitating special education services required by student IEPs, maintaining communication between A.R. Gould and community schools, and advocating for the needs of the students throughout their stay at LCYDC. The goal for both committed and detained residents is to ensure that all students have access to any support they need to be successful educationally.