Week #34 of face to face instruction with just three weeks to go...my how this school year has flown by!  So hard to believe we will be breaking for the summer soon.  As usual, just wanted to share a few photos from the past week in our schools.  Clearly our students and our staff are enjoying SAFELY moving closer to a sense of normalcy in our learning environments...optimism is most definitely in the air!  Our students and staff continue to do AMAZING THINGS!  

P.S. - Yes the superhero picture (top right) and the picture of our flower crowns (bottom left) are Gorham Staff Members hamming it up with their students! ☺

PROUD TO BE A RAM!

Lots to talk about so I'm gonna get right to it this time!  Here goes!

COVID 19 RELATED UPDATES

There has been a lot of new information over the past week on this front, so I'll do my best to condense the information into sections... 

First Section - I wanted to give a huge shout out to Maine Health.  Their staff partnered with our staff earlier this week to vaccinate a little over 350 students at GMS and GHS on Tuesday during our school based vaccination clinics.  The clinics were a huge success!  Parents/families who may still be interested in having their child(ren) vaccinated can sign up for vaccinations at several local clinics.  A great resource is the Maine's vaccination homepage which can be found by CLICKING HERE.  You can also go directly to Maine Health to register your minor child for a vaccine.  CLICK HERE for their website.  If you still want to learn more about vaccinations for children ages 12-18, a great resource there is a recent informational video produced by the Maine Department of Education on Pediatric COVID 19 Vaccinations.  

Second Section - I wanted to make you aware that the Maine Department of Education, on this past Monday evening sent out an updated School COVID 19 Guidance document reflecting recent changes announced by the Governor and how those would impact our public schools.  A few key points I wanted to make clear:

1.  The Governor's allowance for individuals who have been vaccinated to not wear masks indoors DOES NOT APPLY TO SCHOOLS.  All students and staff must still wear masks when inside of our schools.

2.  The Maine Department of Education is now removing restrictions that students/staff wear masks outdoors.  We will implement this change effective Monday, May 24, 2021 across all schools at all times when students/staff are outdoors. Students/staff will now be allowed to remove masks whenever outdoors regardless of physical distancing.  HOWEVER, when on the playground, or in other outdoor learning environments students are encouraged to remain active and not sedentary.  If students clump together and stay together in close proximity without much movement, they will be encouraged to EITHER break up the group, spread out, or put their masks up.

3.  The Maine Department of Education is now allowing students to remove masks for any instructional activity that takes place outdoors (i.e. Phys. Ed., chorus, band, science classes, etc.).

4.  Requirements for indoor physical distancing for music and band have been reduced to 6 ft. - again, masks are still ALWAYS REQUIRED WHEN INDOORS.

5.  Rules for all other indoor learning continues to require a min. of 3 ft of physical distance UNLESS a school utilizes Pool Testing.  More on that in a minute, but in the meantime, know that the Gorham Schools will NOT be participating in Pool Testing this spring.  We are strongly considering/studying the possibility for the Fall of 2021.  If a school gets 30% participation in a pool testing program, physical distancing requirements are no longer applicable.  Again, more on pool testing momentarily.

6.  Regardless of participation in pool testing or not - 6 ft of physical space must still be maintained when students are eating.

Those are the highlights of immediate changes to our safety guidelines and protocols from the MDOE/MCDC - I'll do my best to keep you up to date if additional information is shared.  In the meantime, and as always - please reach out to your school's nurse or building principal if you have questions or need clarification on anything COVID protocol related.  Thank you!

Third Section - Just wanted to make clear that if your child has been fully vaccinated for COVID 19 they do not have to quarantine if they are a close contact to a positive case.  Fully vaccinated is defined as 14 days have passed since their second shot.  

Fourth Section - Just one more reminder to parents to please complete the daily health screener tool at home each morning before sending your child to school.  Remember, you DO NOT NEED TO SUBMIT the form to the school daily.  However, if there is a negative response to any of the screening questions, you should keep your child home and call the school's nurse and they can walk you through what to do from there.  

Fifth Section - Please remember that if your child is home due to symptoms or is home because they have tested positive for COVID 19, the school needs to know so that we can track the information and conduct contact tracing as needed.  Please call the school nurse if your child is home due to potential COVID 19 symptoms or is home waiting the results of a test, or has tested positive for COVID 19.  THANK YOU!

YOU HAVE HEARD ABOUT IT BUT WHAT IS POOL TESTING?

I wanted to provide a little information regarding pool testing and what it entails just because the Maine Department of Education, the Maine Department of Health and Human Services and the Maine CDC have talked so much about it recently in reference to schools.

The Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and Department of Education (DOE) has implemented a pooled PCR testing program, which is available to any K-12 school administrative unit, public or private, starting in May 2021 and through the 2021-22 school year. Pooled PCR testing is a more efficient way to test large groups of students and staff in schools on a weekly basis. Pooled testing involves collecting swabs from small groups of students, usually students in a class cohort or homeroom, placing the swabs in a common test tube, mixing several test samples together in a "batch" or "pool" and then testing the pooled sample with a PCR test for detection of SARS-CoV-2. If a pool's results are positive, the individuals in that pool will need to be tested using a rapid antigen test called BinaxNOW. The positive individual(s) would then be sent home to begin their isolation period.

There are several advantages of using pool testing in schools, but the two largest are: (1) If schools get 30% of the student population to participate, the Maine Department of Education will eliminate physical distancing requirements for students although students would still have to wear masks while indoors and students would still need to remain 6 ft apart when eating; and (2) If schools get 30% of the student population to participate, individuals who may be in a "pool" with a positive result, but who test negative and remain asymptomatic after a BinaxNOW test conducted at school would not have to quarantine as a close contact to the positive case.

As with most things, there are also several disadvantages of participating in the program.  First is that it requires additional staffing capacity and coordination with the testing company to pull off testing of every classroom, every week.  Another disadvantage is that although Maine DHHS pays for the testing service, it does NOT pay for the additional staffing capacity needed to operate the program.  Another disadvantage is that there are concerns regarding confidentiality.  For example, if a classroom participates in pool testing and a negative result occurs and then there is a follow up BinaxNOW test conducted and immediately "Johnny" is asked to go home...that kinda gives it away who tested positive for COVID 19.  

There is certainly much to consider before "jumping in" to pooled testing (pun was intended there - so feel free to giggle) as a school or as a school district.  That is primarily why we will take the time to more closely consider this option over the next several weeks in order to make decisions about whether or not we want to consider using pooled testing this coming fall.  A lot can certainly change - as we all well know by now - in just a few short months!  Bottom line on pool testing in the Gorham Schools for now is to please "stay tuned" for more information.

In the meantime, If you are interested in learning more about pool testing, a great place to start is the Maine Department of Education's FAQ sheet LINKED HERE.  

REMOTE LEARNING PROGRAM INFORMATION FOR 

FALL 2021

I had sent this information out in a separate email earlier this week, but wanted to make sure parents/families were able to review the information, so I am repeating it again here purposefully. . . 

To: Gorham Schools Parents/Guardians

From: Heather J. Perry, Superintendent of Schools

Re: Overview of Full Remote Instruction Services for School year 2021-22

Dear Gorham Parents/Guardians, 

The Gorham School Department believes strongly that the best instructional environment for students to learn is offered in our classrooms. We are excited about our ability to open schools in the Fall of 2021 to full 5 day per week programming for our students across grades K-12.  The Gorham School Department recognizes, however, that there will be a few students who will not be able to access in-person learning for the 2021-22 School Year due to compromising medical conditions that warrant minimizing exposure to COVID 19.  Because of this, we will be offering a fully remote learning program to only those students who are determined to be medically unable to attend school in person because of the risk of exposure to COVID 19.

This consideration would be made through either our Response To Intervention (RTI) team, Section 504 Team, or Special Education (IEP) Team after a referral for consideration is made by the parent/guardian to the school principal.  Once a referral packet is received, the appropriate team will convene to discuss the concerns for the student, and determine if there is a need for additional accommodations or whether a fully remote program is in their educational best interest.  Again, the district always has the goal of having students attend in-person instruction as the least restrictive environment.

In order for this referral to be considered, the following will need to be completed prior to meeting so that the team has the appropriate full information to consider:

Step 1:  The parent/guardian of the student(s) or an adult student completes the “Referral Form”.

Step 2:  The parent/guardian of the student(s) or an adult student reaches out to their licensed physician, nurse practitioner, physician assistant or mental health clinician to complete the “Remote Instruction Consideration by Physician Form”

Step 3:  The parent/guardian of the student(s) or an adult student completes the “Authorization to Release/Exchange Information with Gorham School District Form”

Step 4:  The parent/guardian of the student(s) or an adult student returns the forms found under steps 1-3 to the School’s Principal.

Step 5:  The school’s nurse will reach out to the student(s) licensed physician, nurse practitioner, physician assistant or mental health clinician to discuss possible accommodations that may be preferred to full remote instruction.

Step 6:  The school’s nurse, guidance counselor, principal or the student’s case manager will reach out to schedule a meeting of the school-based team and family to discuss the referral, considerations, and impacts to make a decision on the need for remote instruction and develop a plan as needed.  Note:  These meetings will take place in Mid-June and/or Late August, 2021.

Families who are considering referring their child(ren) for full remote programming for the Fall of 2021 should first review the “Virtual Learning Programming Overview” that is the first page of the appendix documents found in the order listed below:

Appendix A:  Virtual Learning Programming Overview

Appendix B:  Referral Form

Appendix C:  Remote Instruction Consideration by Physician Form

Appendix D:  Authorization to Release/Exchange Information with Gorham School District Form

As always, if parents have any questions, please reach out to your child(ren)’s building principal.

Thank you,

Heather J. Perry, Ph.D

Superintendent of Schools

PARENT OPEN FORUM ON MONDAY NIGHT!

Assistant Superintendent Dr. Record and I will be hosting the final open parent forum for K-12 parents of the 2020-21 School Year THIS MONDAY NIGHT (5/24/21) starting at 6:30 p.m.  

Do you have questions about vaccinations?  Do you have questions about mask rules?  Do you have questions about summer programming?  Do you have questions about what next school year will look like?  Do you have questions about our proposed budget?  If so - this meeting is for you!  Dr. Record and I look forward to seeing you!  Here's the link information:

Join Zoom Meeting https://networkmaine.zoom.us/j/89355371462?pwd=N2svdkxOT1JhNDMyT2ZYVHNCaytOZz09 Meeting ID: 893 5537 1462 Passcode: 168094

THANK YOU MRS. ROY AND GHS SPANISH STUDENTS!

I had a great time visiting Mrs. Roy's GHS Spanish class while they were on a field experience earlier this week.  Students from Mrs. Roy's class walked down to Azul Tequila in downtown Gorham to practice their Spanish skills in a real world way! Students had to read and order their meals entirely in Spanish!  I had some great help from students who translated for me to select what I wanted for lunch.  Another student then actually placed the order for me entirely in Spanish!  We even ordered something for Dr. Record!  We both ate well that day!  THANK YOU STUDENTS for being so patient and kind in helping me as I most definitely DO NOT speak Spanish!

Thank you to our wonderful community partners at Azul Tequila for working with Mrs. Roy and her team to make this great learning experience possible for our students! 

GORHAM FOOD PANTRY FOOD DRIVE TOMORROW!

For those interested, just wanted to make you aware that the Gorham Food Pantry will be holding a food drive TOMORROW.  Check out the flyer for more details below!

ART FAIR WEEKEND OF JUNE 5 SPONSORED BY GORHAM VILLAGE ALLIANCE

Are you looking for something to do the weekend AFTER Memorial Day?  This event looks like a great way to get out there and get a little culture!  Check out the flyer below for more details!

That's enough information this week.  Next week I'll focus a bit more on the proposed FY 22 School Budget and a reminder to get out there and vote on June 8 as well as all the fun year end activities our schools have planned!  

In the meantime I wanted to leave you with a poem to help keep you motivated for the last three weeks of school.  No question this year has been a year of historical challenges...we have accomplished so much and come so far TOGETHER through this Pandemic!  I'm sure coach Tanguay and Coach Caterina would agree its always at this point in the race that we all have to dig just a little deeper to make sure we finish strong!  Let's all make sure to remain focused on "sprinting" to the finish line of this historic year TOGETHER!  GO RAMS! 

Enjoy your weekends!  See you back at it again on Monday! ☺