South Portland says farewell to Kaler Elementary — for good

[](https://w2pcms.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/43640046_20260610_Farewell-Kaler_1.jpg) Former students, staff and family members gather outside Kaler Elementary School prior to the start of the Kaler Elementary Alumni & Community Open House in South Portland on June 10. The last day of school before the school closes is Monday, June 15. Pictured from left are, former student Devin Berry, former ed tech Jane Martin, family member Erin Boland, former teacher Rachael Furbush, former teacher Dianne “Ms. K” Caterina and former student Cora Boland. (Daryn Slover/Staff Photographer) [Purchase this image](https://dev.mainetodaymedia.com/smugmug/upload.php?data=%7B%22src%22%3A%22https%3A%5C%2F%5C%2Fwww.pressherald.com%5C%2Fwp-content%5C%2Fuploads%5C%2Fsites%5C%2F4%5C%2F2026%5C%2F06%5C%2F43640046_20260610_Farewell-Kaler_1.jpg%22%2C%22caption%22%3A%22Former%20students%2C%20staff%20and%20family%20members%20gather%20outside%20Kaler%20Elementary%20School%20prior%20to%20the%20start%20of%20the%20Kaler%20Elementary%20Alumni%20%26%20Community%20Open%20House%20in%20South%20Portland%20on%20June%2010.%20The%20last%20day%20of%20school%20before%20the%20school%20closes%20is%20Monday%2C%20June%2015.%20Pictured%20from%20left%20are%2C%20former%20student%20Devin%20Berry%2C%20former%20ed%20tech%20Jane%20Martin%2C%20family%20member%20Erin%20Boland%2C%20former%20teacher%20Rachael%20Furbush%2C%20former%20teacher%20Dianne%20%5C%22Ms.%20K%5C%22%20Caterina%20and%20former%20student%20Cora%20Boland.%20%20%28Daryn%20Slover%5C%2FStaff%20Photographer%29%22%7D) SOUTH PORTLAND — Signs encouraging “Inquiry” and “Exploration” posted on the brick pillars at the entrance to the school building guided Kaler Cougars of all ages back to their old school.  On a recent weeknight open house at the school, three generations of one family reminisced about their formative years there.  Cathy Counts went to James Otis Kaler Elementary School, back when there were 35 desks in each classroom, beginning in 1959. Her daughter, Erika McIntire, started in 1985, and remembered when there used to be a baseball diamond in the footprint of the current building.  Erika’s daughter Margaret, is finishing third grade. Art class and gym are her favorites. “The teachers here are nice,” she said. And to Erika, the school community feels like family. She knows some of the teachers because she went to school with them.  Margaret will be the last generation to be a Kaler Cougar.  Advertisement The South Portland School Board voted at the end of March to close Kaler amid what many members described as a painful budget season. Related [South Portland will close Kaler Elementary](https://www.pressherald.com/2026/03/31/south-portland-will-close-kaler-elementary/) Current Kaler students will attend one of the remaining [four elementary schools](https://www.pressherald.com/2026/06/10/south-portland-decides-where-to-send-students-after-closing-elementary-school/). Margaret McIntire is headed to Frank I. Brown Elementary School in the fall.  Many community members, students and teachers visited Kaler for the last time on Wednesday, at an open house just five days before the last day of school.  Sue Curato, a former Kaler teacher, lingered outside her old classroom. “You’re my kindergarten teacher!” said Nora Kennie, a student at South Portland High, as they had an impromptu reunion in the rainbow halls.  “How old are you now?” Curato asked. Kennie will be a senior in the fall. Curato couldn’t believe this was her student, all grown up. Advertisement Kennie sat down at a table that was too small for her. Sunlight made the stuffy kindergarten classroom even hotter.  [](https://w2pcms.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/43640046_20260610_Farewell-Kaler_3.jpg) Former Kaler teacher Sue Curato, left, talks with former students, Emma Guite, second from left, and Nora Kennie in one of their old classrooms during an open house for Kaler alumni and the community on June 10. Nora Kennie’s mother, Allison Kennie, is at right. (Daryn Slover/Staff Photographer) [Purchase this image](https://dev.mainetodaymedia.com/smugmug/upload.php?data=%7B%22src%22%3A%22https%3A%5C%2F%5C%2Fwww.pressherald.com%5C%2Fwp-content%5C%2Fuploads%5C%2Fsites%5C%2F4%5C%2F2026%5C%2F06%5C%2F43640046_20260610_Farewell-Kaler_3.jpg%22%2C%22caption%22%3A%22Former%20Kaler%20teacher%20Sue%20Curato%2C%20left%2C%20talks%20with%20former%20students%2C%20Emma%20Guite%2C%20second%20from%20left%2C%20and%20Nora%20Kennie%20in%20one%20of%20their%20old%20classrooms%20during%20an%20open%20house%20for%20Kaler%20alumni%20and%20the%20community%20on%20June%2010.%20Nora%20Kennie%27s%20mother%2C%20Allison%20Kennie%2C%20is%20at%20right.%20%20%28Daryn%20Slover%5C%2FStaff%20Photographer%29%22%7D) “I feel like a giant,” she said. Kennie fondly remembered field days and singing her heart out to Kesha in the fourth grade talent show. She’s sad she won’t be able to walk through her elementary school one last time in her cap and gown.  Many community members, like Kennie, have found ways to remember, honor and say farewell to their beloved Kaler. **THE WOMAN BEHIND THE ‘PEANUTS**‘ The laughter begins around 8:30 a.m. every day.  Students walking to and from Kaler encounter the familiar characters. Charlie Brown with his goofy grin. Snoopy next to his pal Woodstock. Franklin holding a football. Lucy leaning over a piano to flirt with an uninterested Schroeder.  [](https://w2pcms.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/43522704_20260402_Kaler-Charlie-Brown_1.jpg) Amanda Fickett keeps her front yard decorated with Peanuts characters to entertain children walking to and from James O. Kaler Elementary School on South Kelsey Street in South Portland. (Daryn Slover/Staff Photographer) [Purchase this image](https://dev.mainetodaymedia.com/smugmug/upload.php?data=%7B%22src%22%3A%22https%3A%5C%2F%5C%2Fwww.pressherald.com%5C%2Fwp-content%5C%2Fuploads%5C%2Fsites%5C%2F4%5C%2F2026%5C%2F06%5C%2F43522704_20260402_Kaler-Charlie-Brown_1.jpg%22%2C%22caption%22%3A%22Amanda%20Fickett%20keeps%20her%20front%20yard%20decorated%20with%20Peanuts%20characters%20to%20entertain%20children%20walking%20to%20and%20from%20James%20O.%20Kaler%20Elementary%20School%20on%20South%20Kelsey%20Street%20in%20South%20Portland.%20%20%20%28Daryn%20Slover%5C%2FStaff%20Photographer%29%22%7D) Amanda Fickett, who lives in a farmhouse on South Kelsey Street, leaves her window open when the weather’s nice, listening to mornings full of excitement and wonder.  Advertisement Fickett was inspired by her late grandfather’s love of “Peanuts.” The weekly comic strips were always stuck to the refrigerator, and presents were always wrapped in the funny pages.  “He’d always say ‘Charlie Brown. I know that guy,’” Fickett said. She painted the old doghouse red after he passed away. Some students stuck their heads into it, looking for Snoopy. Her collection of characters grew from there. Some came from Etsy. Others were old props from the plays she directed. She made the rest.  [](https://w2pcms.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/04/43522704_20260402_Kaler-Charlie-Brown_3.jpg) Amanda Fickett keeps her front yard decorated with Peanuts characters to entertain children walking to and from James O. Kaler Elementary School on South Kelsey Street in South Portland. (Daryn Slover/Staff Photographer) [Purchase this image](https://dev.mainetodaymedia.com/smugmug/upload.php?data=%7B%22src%22%3A%22https%3A%5C%2F%5C%2Fwww.pressherald.com%5C%2Fwp-content%5C%2Fuploads%5C%2Fsites%5C%2F4%5C%2F2026%5C%2F06%5C%2F43522704_20260402_Kaler-Charlie-Brown_3.jpg%22%2C%22caption%22%3A%22Amanda%20Fickett%20keeps%20her%20front%20yard%20decorated%20with%20Peanuts%20characters%20to%20entertain%20children%20walking%20to%20and%20from%20James%20O.%20Kaler%20Elementary%20School%20on%20South%20Kelsey%20Street%20in%20South%20Portland.%20%20%20%28Daryn%20Slover%5C%2FStaff%20Photographer%29%22%7D) On the first day of school for many years, Fickett put out as many characters as she could, so parents had options for first-day-of-school pictures.  When she heard that Kaler was closing, Fickett was devastated. Her family’s ties to the school go way back: Her ancestors sold the city their farmland, which eventually became the site of the elementary school.   Advertisement Even after this year, her lawn decorations won’t go anywhere. Charlie Brown will still wear a coat “so he’s nice and warm in the winter time,” Fickett said. And Linus will continue to only make an appearance around Halloween.  There will still be neighborhood kids playing on the playground and biking around, even after the school is closed.  “I still want kids to have that continuity,” she said. “I’m sure they would miss their neighborhood friends. Just like I’ll miss them.”  She’s already received requests to make a Peppermint Patty and Marcy to add to the posse.  ‘EVERYBODY KNEW EVERYBODY’ When Dana Campbell heard the news of the school closure, he did what he thought he could — provide unlimited free coffee and tea to all Kaler staff. Advertisement It’s something he’d been thinking about for a while.  He’s owned and operated Campbell’s market, his family’s store on Broadway, for 40 years, and he’s watched the front door open and close thousands of times. He’s also watched the neighborhood around him change. He still lives on Reynolds Street, diagonally across from the house he grew up in.  When he went to Kaler in 1962, there were only eight classrooms, and three of the teachers lived within 500 yards of the school.  “Everybody knew everybody,” he said.  Now, he doesn’t know as many of the teachers. He thought offering free warm beverages would encourage more of them to stop by the store so he could show his appreciation. “I can’t do a lot,” he said. “But in coming in, I hope they introduce themselves. That would be nice.”  Advertisement The door to the market opened and shut on a cloudy and unseasonably cold Thursday afternoon in early April. The customer was Kim Ferrell, one of his high school classmates. They caught up as she bought packs of cigarettes. Campbell leaned against the counter behind the register.  They reminisced about their time in primary school years ago. She went to Hamlin, which has since been converted into city offices.  “It’s strange that it’s going to be gone,” he said. Campbell remembered playing baseball on the Kaler field in the summer, travelling around the city to play at the other neighborhood schools. “There were little rivalries,” he said. Kaler’s field also hosted junior high games.  And when it rained, they made crafts, like beaded keychains, and played games in the school basement. Advertisement “It was so much more than just going to school for eight months out of the year,” he said. Hardly anyone rode the bus when he went, and it was normal to travel in a pack on the way to and from school. Campbell’s closest childhood friends have since scattered — two to Florida, one to the West Coast. But some former classmates still pop into the store to buy a snack or a lottery ticket.  **FROM STUDENT TO TEACHER** It has been 19 years since Rachel Morin was a first-grader at Kaler. [](https://w2pcms.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/Rachel-Morin.jpg) Rachel Morin in her first grade musical at James O. Kaler Elementary School. (Courtesy of Rachel Morin) Nikki Remsen, now the assistant principal of Skillin, taught Morin phonics and math and how to sing “Grand Ole Flag” with gusto. When Morin struggled in class, Remsen showed her that learning could be fun. And at Kaler, it was, Morin said.  The carnival games and cakewalk at the annual harvest festival were magical, and to 7-year-old Morin, nothing beat field day.  Advertisement “We were just there for a long time, just having fun together,” she said. She even remembers her fifth grade group project: a board game about migratory birds, incorporating simple machines like ramps and levers.  Now, when Morin bumps into Remsen around the city, they have more to talk about.  “She always says ‘Oh my goodness, it’s so crazy you’re a teacher now,” Morin said. “‘It was just yesterday you were in first grade.’”  Morin’s finishing her first school year as a second-grade teacher at the Young School in Saco. She’s working to build relationships with her students, just like Remsen taught her.  “I always want to be that type of person for a child to look up to to feel safe with, because I always felt safe going into a classroom,” Morin said. Whenever someone asked her what she wanted to be when she grew up, Morin always answered, ‘teacher.’  Advertisement [](https://w2pcms.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/43640046_20260610_Farewell-Kaler_4.jpg) Second grade Kaler Elementary teacher Melanie Stewart, far right, waves to a former student as she chats with former teachers and students during the Kaler Elementary open house on June 10. From left are former second-grade teacher Madi Dudley, former ed tech Jane Martin and former student Rachel Morin. (Daryn Slover/Staff Photographer) [Purchase this image](https://dev.mainetodaymedia.com/smugmug/upload.php?data=%7B%22src%22%3A%22https%3A%5C%2F%5C%2Fwww.pressherald.com%5C%2Fwp-content%5C%2Fuploads%5C%2Fsites%5C%2F4%5C%2F2026%5C%2F06%5C%2F43640046_20260610_Farewell-Kaler_4.jpg%22%2C%22caption%22%3A%22Second%20grade%20Kaler%20Elementary%20teacher%20Melanie%20Stewart%2C%20far%20right%2C%20waves%20to%20a%20former%20student%20as%20she%20chats%20with%20former%20teachers%20and%20students%20during%20the%20Kaler%20Elementary%20open%20house%20on%20June%2010.%20From%20left%20are%20former%20second-grade%20teacher%20Madi%20Dudley%2C%20former%20ed%20tech%20Jane%20Martin%20and%20former%20student%20Rachel%20Morin.%20%28Daryn%20Slover%5C%2FStaff%20Photographer%29%22%7D) She started working in the South Portland Parks and Recreation department’s before- and after-care and summer camp when she was 16, and she realized how much she loved working with kids.  She was promoted to a full-time position a few years later while completing her degree at the University of Southern Maine, running the programs at Kaler for two years, encouraging the students to play and unwind from the day. “I just really connected with the students there,” she said. “I just fell in love with the school again.” Morin said it felt like winning the lottery when she was placed in Kaler for her year of student teaching. Even though the teachers weren’t the ones who taught her and changed her life, they felt familiar.  “They still wanted the same things for their students,” she said. “They were still so very involved, so kind and so welcoming.”  She thought one day she would teach at her alma mater. Morin said it felt weird to pull into the parking lot for the community open house on Wednesday. She returned to the classroom where she interned, and chatted with Melanie Stewart, her mentor teacher, for a while. She looked at the rows of desks facing the front of the classroom. ‘This is where I learned how to teach,” she said. Copy the Story Link Tagged: [South Portland Schools](https://www.pressherald.com/tag/south-portland-schools/) [](https://www.pressherald.com/author/dana-richie) [Dana RichieStaff Writer](https://www.pressherald.com/author/dana-richie) Dana Richie is a community reporter covering South Portland and Cape Elizabeth. Originally from Atlanta, she fell in love with the landscape and quirks of coastal New England while completing her undergraduate. [More by Dana Richie](https://www.pressherald.com/author/dana-richie)