FAQ Frequently Asked Questions
Foster CTE students from Mt. Abram High School
This sheet is designed to answer some common questions that new students and parents have about how Foster Tech ‘works.’
The first day of the 2015-16 Foster Tech school year is: Blue Day: Tuesday, September 1 and for our Gold Day students Wednesday, September 2.
1. Where is Foster Tech?
Foster CTE is located on the Mt. Blue Campus
129 Seamon Rd.
Farmington, Me. 04938
(207) 778-3561
2. How long is the school day?
All Foster Tech programs begin at 7:45 a.m. and end when the Mt. Abram bus collects our students around 11:45 a.m.
3. How do I contact my son/daughter’s teacher at Foster Tech?
Most Foster Tech teachers give students their contact information during the first week of school in the fall. The phone number for Foster Tech is 778-3561. Unlike the rules at MTA, some instructors at Foster Tech do allow students to access their cell phone during the day. However please keep communications and distractions to a minimum.
4. What is the busing schedule?
Bus pickup times in district towns are as follows:
Farmington
11:45 a.m. Depart Mt. Blue Campus for the return trip to MTA and lunch.
I live in Carrabassett Valley or Stratton, how do I get to Foster Tech?
The Flagstaff school district runs a bus that connects with the MSAD 58 Foster Tech bus in Kingfield. It generally leaves Stratton around 5:30 a.m. but this can change with the season. If you live in the Flagstaff district or in CV, contact Kathy at the school Stratton School 246-2283 for the most up-to-date bus information.
5. Will my child get picked up at home each morning?
MSAD 58 provides 1 Foster Tech bus pick up location in each MSAD 58 town. Unfortunately, we are not able to pick up each student at their home. However, if the bus passes your house on it’s morning route you can arrange for Matt Lane the driver to stop for a pickup. You will need to contact him beforehand and make arrangements. I recommend going to the regular town pickup spot on the first day of Foster Tech in the fall, and then you can talk with Matt in person about where you would like to be picked up during the year. You can also call him directly, Matt Lane’s phone number is 510-7570, his cell number is 491-8985 and his email is malane@msad58.org. Unfortunately, he cannot respond to text messages on his school cell phone.
6. How does lunch work on Foster Tech days?
The bus from Foster Tech usually arrives at MTA about 20 minutes after lunch begins. The kitchen staff saves food, so the Foster Tech students can be served. However, sometimes students eat at Foster Tech in their classes or make other arrangements resulting in wasted food (that could have been offered as ‘seconds’) at Mt Abram. Please try to keep TJ and Joy informed if you know about changes in your lunch schedule.
7. The Foster Tech calendar and scheduling...
Because the student population at Foster Tech consists of 4 different high schools, scheduling things like early release days, college visits, workshop days and storm days can be complicated. The key to being prepared for schedule changes is communication and flexibility. Frequently, we will not be informed about schedule changes until the last minute. We will be using the Power School Announcement system which sends text messages, recorded messages and emails out to parents and students with important Foster Tech announcements and unforeseen changes. A Foster Tech 2015-16 school calendar is included in this packet.
8. What about Storm Days?
If MSAD 58 cancels: No Foster Tech Bus will run and students should stay home.
If RSU 9 cancels but MSAD 58 is open: no Foster Tech bus will run and students should stay home but plan on attending their 4th period class if they can get to school safely by 1:15. If you cannot arrange transportation for your student to get to MTA by 1:15 have the student stay home for the day. This will be recorded as an excused absence, as we do not have the staff to supervise students who are not in scheduled classes.
If the Flagstaff school district cancels school and MSAD 58 and RSU 9 are open: Students should stay home, this will be recorded as an excused absence.
Delayed start
1-hour delay: If MSAD 58 or RSU 9 has a 1 hour delay, the Foster Tech bus will run 1 hour later.
2-hour delay: If MSAD 58 or RSU 9 has a 2-hour delay, we will NOT run a Foster Tech bus to Farmington, students should stay home but plan on attending their 4th period class if they can get to school safely by 1:15. If you cannot arrange transportation for your student to get to MTA at 1:15, have the student stay home for the day. This will be recorded as an excused absence, as we do not have the staff to supervise students who are not in scheduled classes.
9. Attendance
Good attendance at Foster Tech is essential for success! Missing one day at Foster Tech is equal to missing 3 days at Mt. Abram! Make every effort to maintain good school attendance. Some instructors encourage their students to think of Foster Tech like a job. If you are going to be out or if you are sick, YOU should contact your boss (teacher) and let him/her know BEFORE your scheduled class. Poor attendance at Foster Tech will result in dismissal from the program.
10. What is the driving policy for students attending Foster Tech?
Parents and students are asked to read and sign the Mt. Abram High School Foster Tech Student Driving Rules, which is included in this packet. It basically says, “All Mt. Abram students are expected to ride the RSU 58 school bus to and from Foster Tech unless they can demonstrate a legitimate and logical need to drive their personal vehicle.
11. What does ‘CTE’ stand for?
CTE=Career and Technical Education is the current term used to describe what was once called Vocational Education.
12. College credit for high school?
Many Foster CTE programs have dual enrollment agreements with the Maine Community College system. This allows students to receive college credits while completing their high school classes! All programs offer service learning opportunities that can be counted as ‘volunteer hours’, a MTA graduation requirement.
