Thursday, September 3, 2020

September 3 School Opening Update

Well Tuesday is the day!  We are so very very excited to have our students returning to us even under these very different conditions.  It's been a historic summer for public schools in Maine and across the country but we are FINALLY HERE and eager to see our extended family members again. 

There is LOTS of information to share...so let's get right to it!  I've bolded sections so you can skim around as needed.  Here goes!

GORHAM SCHOOL COVID-19 RESOURCE & INFORMATION WEB PAGE 

If you haven't already seen it, YOU SHOULD...we've "condensed" the tons and tons of information that was shared over the course of the summer into one web resource of the essentials...you can  CLICK HERE to  view or you can always go to our district website (www.gorhamschools.org) and then at the top of the screen click on the "COVID-19" tab and that will get you there too!  

You will want to bookmark this page  and pay special note to the link on the right side entitled:  "Active COVID-19 Cases Summary"...beginning on Sept. 14 we will update this link every Monday with information so that parents can track any active cases of COVID-19 at any of our schools.  Please know that we fully expect that at some point this fall there will likely be some  active cases at our schools.  This should not be cause for significant alarm.  We have put many many many safety protocols in place to mitigate the risk of contracting COVID-19 while here at school even if there were an exposure. If there is an exposure we will be communicating quickly and effectively with each child's family member to let them know what to expect and what to do in that event.  Our nurses and clinic aids are well trained and are well connected to supports at both the MDOE and CDC levels to help any family navigate our safety protocols effectively.

You can find a comprehensive overview  of our safety procedures by going to our Pandemic Operations Plan and scrolling through each domain's safety procedures.  You can also find a comprehensive overview of our student/family guidelines for the reopening of schools by CLICKING HERE.  We are right here with you every step of the way...so if you have questions, please reach out to your building principal and they are there to help!  

SCHOOL CALENDAR w/A &  B Days

You can CLICK HERE to find the school calendar with A and B days delineated.  One change to note is  that November 3 will be a  fully remote day for ALL STUDENTS due to elections.  We have been asked by the Town of Gorham to use our schools for polling  sites as  they needed more space to be able spread out and physically distance folks for this important election.  Therefore, November 3  will be a fully remote day.  Students who are in Group B will have their face to face instruction day later that week on Friday,  November 6.  

TRANSPORTATION ROUTES

Parents can  find updated transportation routes for  Elementary and Middle School/HS  bus runs for both A and B days by CLICKING HERE.  On any typical year we ask parents to please be flexible as we work through the first few weeks of these complex route schedules...and this is not a typical year.   We will be asking for an extra level of patience from parents with the timing of our routes and with pick up and drop off procedures for the first few weeks of school.  We have had to basically re-do every procedure in these areas and although we feel confident in our planning and preparation - there is nothing like the reality of having to put those plans and procedures into action to find out the kinks and quirks - and  that we will!  We will work hard during those first  few weeks to make sure these things are all ironed out and operating smoothly, but until then we ask  for your kind patience and communication.  

SCHOOL NUTRITION INFORMATION

There are lots of great resources and information regarding our School Nutrition program on our website.  Here's a few highlights I thought you might want to check out in preparation for the opening of school if you haven't already seen them:

Lunches available on at home days!

Pay Pam and how to Pre-pay  for lunches!

* Menus

Free/Reduced Lunch Application - Now ONLINE!

* Contact information if you have questions - reach out!

DAILY SYMPTOMS SCREENING TOOL 

Here is where we need to make an adjustment from our original plans, so please read carefully!  As you recall,  our original plans were to use a symptoms checker AP from a company called Frontline.  We have been working with this company for the past 5 weeks and were able to open up the symptoms checker AP with our staff this week.  Our staff have been able to download the AP and it is working on the user end as  expected, but we are  still having difficulties on  the back end with pairing the data up in a way that allows us to print  a  report that can be used by our nurses and aids to follow up with folks who either indicated they had a symptom or who did not complete the form.  Because of these continued back end problems that we are still looking to rectify we have decided NOT to send the AP out to  families YET.  Instead, we will use a "Plan B" for the first few weeks  of school as we ensure the back end functions of this AP are fully operational  before releasing.   

Our "Plan B" is to use google forms. So here's what each family should expect for the first few weeks of school:

1.  A google form will be sent out each night via our School Messenger System to each Parent of either our A or B groups across grades K-12.

2.  Parents of either A or B groups attending school each morning  should open their emailed google form and complete it for EACH STUDENT before going to school.  If parents wish to allow their son/daughter in grades 6-12 to complete the survey they can, but it will be emailed to each parent.

3.   We are asking that forms for students in grades K-5 and 9-12 are completed each morning by 8:00 a.m. and forms for 6-8  students are completed each morning by 7:00 a.m.  

3.  Clinic Aids at each school will download results of the surveys each morning in order to prepare a summary report that will be delivered to each school's office.  This summary report will identify which students/families did NOT complete the survey so that these students can be "flagged" for  follow  up if they  arrive at school  that morning.  This report  will  also indicate students who may have had symptoms so that individual phone calls can be made to these families during the course of the day to follow up and check in.

So this is the system we will use for the first few weeks of school as we work to finalize preparations for the  symptoms checker AP  that will be sent out when ready.  I  will let folks know when that is and  be sure to provide detailed guidance on how to download the AP when we get to that point.

As I will be saying  frequently throughout the course of this year  - we truly appreciate your patience as we work out these new systems!  

UPDATE ON MPA ATHLETICS & PLANS MOVING FORWARD

I'm sure many of you have been following recent events and evolving  information regarding the MPA and their ability to have finalized and approved guidelines to begin a shortened fall athletics season.  This work has been constantly evolving and changing but I wanted to give you all an update on where things stand  today and what the Gorham Schools plans are moving forward with these important programs for our students.  Here goes:

*  On Thursday, August 17, MPA interscholastic committee voted to approve of updated guidelines that  would allow all fall  sports to go forward and that were more in  alignment with the CDC's community sports guidelines.

*  On Tuesday, Sept. 1, DHHS responded to MPA letting them know that they still had concerns regarding these guidelines and their alignment with the newly updated community sports guidelines.

*  Yesterday, Sept. 2 Cumberland County Superintendents met to discuss how to proceed.  CCSA superintendents agreed to allow "Phase IV" of original MPA  guidelines to begin on Sept. 8  while we  awaited next steps from MPA.  "Phase IV" guidelines allow for coaches to begin meeting with student athletes for conditioning work under very specific and stringent safety guidelines.

*  Earlier  today the MPA announced a delay of ONE WEEK (from Sept.8 to Sept. 14) of the start of the fall athletics season to give them time to make additional adjustments  to their guidelines  so that they met requirements of DHHS  to proceed.

So what does this mean for Gorham???  Well, here is how we plan to proceed as the work between MPA  and DHHS continues to evolve...

1.  We will begin "Phase IV" opening for all fall athletics at the high school level on Sept. 8.  This allows for coaches to meet with small groups of athletes following very specific safety guidelines for conditioning work.  These programs will occur for our fall student athletes for all  fall sports between Sept. 8 - Sept. 11.

2.  On Sept. 9 Tim Spear (Athletic Director) and I will present TWO PLANS to the Gorham School Committee regarding how we want to move forward beginning Sept.  14.  What we are calling "Plan A" will be to move forward with MPA guidelines (as updated) and begin our fall athletic programs as outlined by the MPA beginning on Sept. 14.  What we are calling "Plan B" will be to move forward with operating our own  school based  intramural programs for our student athletes  at GHS also beginning on  Sept. 14.  Our plans are to operate intramural programs only at the middle school level and these plans will also be presented to the School Committee  on Sept. 9.

3.  Begin EITHER  "Plan A" or "Plan B" programming for our high school students on Sept. 14, 2020.

COMMUNITY SUPPORT COORDINATORS COMING SOON!

I have recruited an incredible group of parents who have volunteered to serve as "Community Support Coordinators".   Here's generally what this program is:

-  Volunteer parents who will operate closed Face Book Groups of other parents who wish to join.

-  Each FB group will be created to represent each school with a group for Great Falls K-2 and 3-5, Village K-2 and  3-5, Narragansett K-2 and 3-5, GMS grade 6, GMS grade  7, GMS grade 8, GHS grade 9, GHS grade 10, GHS Grade 11 and GHS Grade 12.  

-  You can view a summary of what we are proposing thus far for this work by CLICKING HERE.

-  Overall idea - parents supporting parents! 

We are organizing these pages now and hope to have them up and operational  by middle of September and grow from there together - so  please  STAY TUNED!

ANTI-RACISM WORK IN THE GORHAM SCHOOLS

I wanted to make folks aware of the work we have going on  in our schools on this  important topic.  First, the Gorham School Committee's Policy Committee  is working to create a new "Anti-Racist" policy.  At this time a solid draft has been created and the policy committee is working with small groups of stakeholders to seek feedback before finalizing a first draft to send to the School Committee for first reading.  Two "readings" are required in order for a policy to become final...when it gets to first reading, I'll make sure to let folks know when that discussion will take place at the School Committee level so if folks have comments, they can certainly share them with School Committee members at that time.

The second piece I wanted  to make folks aware of are the components of my first goal for 2020-21 as Superintendent of Schools.   You can see all six of my core 2020-21 goals by CLICKING HERE.  The first goal  is the one that is focused on this topic.  I encourage folks to review the action steps outlined and to stay tuned for opportunities to engage in this  important conversation moving  forward.

TOWN COUNCIL APPROVAL OF IMPORTANT SCHOOL BOND QUESTION FOR NOV. 3

On Tuesday, Sept. 1 the Town Council Voted unanimously (7-0) to approve of adding a bond question for  several school related projects on the Nov. 3 ballot.  the question will basically read as follows (Draft, so could change a little)...

Shall the Town of Gorham be authorized to borrow and expend up to $5,689,000.00  for the  following capital projects on  various public schools in the Town?

1.  GMS HVAC Heat Pump Upgrade and Repairs - $2,265,000

2.  Narragansett Expansion Project Phase II - $1,423,000

3.  Narragansett Bus Loop and Sidewalk Upgrades and Repairs - $351,000

4.  Middle School Sidewalk  Repair - $300,0005.  

5.  Field Lighting Safety Repairs for competition field, baseball, softball and tennis fields - $1,275,000

6.  Necessary Civil Engineering Costs - $75,000

I'll  be getting much more detailed information out to the public over the course of the  next  several weeks, but wanted to make sure this important topic was on  everyone's radar  even as we continue to concentrate on navigating COVID-19.

IN CLOSING

Just wanted to share a quick video message...please watch...pretty short!  PROMISE!

Here's the link:

https://youtu.be/hFktYuehzzM

THANK YOU...and I CAN'T WAIT TO  SEE FOLKS NEXT WEEK!  GO  RAMS!







 




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