The Pleasant Point community celebrated the grand opening of the new $21.5 million Sipayik Elementary School on Friday, September 10. Following delays over the past several years, the 47,875-square-foot building was finished earlier this year by the Sheridan Construction Corporation of Fairfield.
     The program opened with Alberta Newell, master of ceremony and chairperson of the Sipayik School Committee, introducing Geo Neptune, chair of the Passamaquoddy Township School Committee, to lead the group in prayer and song. He asked the community to join in a moment of silence, then offered a prayer in Passamaquoddy and ended with a song in Mi'kmaq.
     Newell then welcomed those who came and, as she returned to the podium throughout the program, filled in details about the process of getting to this point. Newell mentioned the releasing of ownership in direct decision making for the mascot, which was given to the school children. The Thunderbird and its design were taken from Passamaquoddy petroglyphs and selected to be the school mascot through an electronic vote.
     The superintendent of Maine Indian Education, Dr. Reza Namin, recognized the many people and organizations, past and present, who worked for the last 20 years to bring the completion of the building to reality, specifically naming the Department of the Interior and the Bureau of Indian Education for their leadership and support, as well as many more individuals.
     Sakom Elizabeth "Maggie" Dana also thanked all involved in this long process. She talked about impressing upon her son River, a middle school student, how exciting and memorable this year would be for him and used this personal anecdote to remind those listening that the children of Sipayik walk in two worlds. While education is valuable, the tribe's culture is also valuable and is what has sustained the Passamaquoddy through thousands of years.
     Passamaquoddy Rep. Rena Newell addressed the crowd by first thanking the Sipayik student drum group for their voices. She reminded those attending that staff and students of Sipayik Elementary, joined with Maine Indian Education, are family and are there to work together for success. Rep. Newell reminded the gathering of her father, "Timmy Tom" Newell, who served the community and school in a variety of capacities through the years and how his steadfast support to her, her family and students of Beatrice Rafferty School would be remembered when seeing the picture that was placed near his spot in the old cafeteria.
     The commissioner of the Maine Department of Education, Pender Makin, shared her enthusiasm in joining her first school grand opening. She referenced the new school as "the house of the future" where teachers and students are empowered to take risks. She said the school is also a house of memories with no limitations that would strengthen the youth to be able to walk in both worlds, and, through the building, the heartbeat of the community would go on.
     Rep. Anne Perry of Calais spoke of the honor of celebrating the whole community on their perseverance to recognize education and how this new school is a testament to power and hope for the future. This was followed by the reading of a letter of congratulations from U.S. Senator Susan Collins and an introduction to the video remarks from U.S. Representative Chellie Pingree by Rhiannon Hampson, congressional aide.
     Dr. Joan Ferrini Mundy, president of the University of Maine, expressed her excitement in working with and being a partner with the culture and education of the students. Connie Albert, the Bureau of Indian Affairs' acting associate deputy director of tribally-controlled schools, came to the podium to relay the good wishes from Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs Bryan Newland and Tony Dearman, director of the Bureau of Indian Education. Albert continued to share her Hopi language with a greeting and blessing: "Let's be happy and strong as we start this journey together." She observed that the school and community hold the children in their hands to move as one.
     The ceremony ended with a time lapse review of the school's construction, followed by the Huntley Brook Singers being surrounded by the community as they performed the honor song.
     The new school replaces the Beatrice Rafferty School and is built for enrollment projections of 150 to 160 students, with K-8 classrooms, a full-size gym, dining area, Native studies room, science lab, music and art rooms, library, computer and media labs.