With the start of school approaching, I wanted to share some key information with all families as you prepare for the first day of school.  As you may know, the Maine Department of Education developed a framework for the reopening of schools and return to in-person instruction.  This framework has at its core, six requirements for safely opening schools this fall. I wanted to communicate several key facets around these requirements and let you know how RSU 26 has responded to these requirements in our reopening plan.

Six Requirements for Safely Opening Schools in the Fall

1.  Symptom Screening at Home Before Coming to School (for all staff and students)
   1. Attached you will find the RSU 26 Symptom Screening tool that follows both Maine DOE and CDC guidance for screening COVID-19 symptoms.  All families must use this tool each morning before arriving at school or boarding a school bus to screen for symptoms.  We’ve tried to make this tool as clear as possible for everyone’s ease of use.  It is essential that families make this part of the morning routine.  If you have no symptoms listed, you are clear to enter school and do not have to report your results.  However, if you answer “YES” to any of the symptom screening questions:
      1. your child must not report to school,
      2. you should contact the school office to report the absence and the symptoms, and
      3. you should contact your health care provider for guidance

Return to school guidance is noted on the symptom screening tool. Basically, any COVID symptom should be reported to your health care provider to determine next steps.

PLEASE KNOW THAT THIS SYMPTOM SCREENING TOOL IS LIKELY TO CHANGE AS THE MAINE DOE, CDC AND OUR OWN SCHOOL HEALTH TEAM CONSIDERS THE EVOLVING GUIDANCE AROUND COVID-19. WE WILL KEEP YOU UPDATED REGARDING CHANGES TO THE SYMPTOM SCREENING TOOL AND PROCESS.

2. Physical Distancing and Facilities – RSU 26 is following state guidance in for physical space and facilities, including social distancing, establishing a separate medical isolation space for symptomatic students/staff, limiting group sizes following the Governor’s gathering size limits, and ensuring/optimizing ventilation for classrooms. Schools will look quite different to students this fall.  From the desks spread out with 6’ distancing, to arrows on the floors and plexiglass at the teacher desk/table – there will be signs all around that this is different. Please help prepare your child for this and assure them this is all done to help keep all of us healthy.
3. Masks/Face Coverings – All students, staff, and others in our schools are required to wear a face covering/mask at school, unless outdoors with social distancing or while eating/drinking with social distancing.  Face shields are not allowed as an alternative unless a documented medical/behavioral reason has been submitted to principal and approved.
4. Hand Hygiene –  All must wash hands or use sanitizing gel upon entering school, before and after eating, when handling mask/face covering, after using the restroom, before and after use of playgrounds and shared equipment and upon entering and exiting a school bus.
5. Personal Protective Equipment – Additional safety precautions are required for school nurses and/or any staff supporting students in close proximity, when distance is not possible, or when a student requires physical assistance.
6. Return to School after Illness – students and staff must use home isolation until they meet criteria for returning to school.  For RSU 26, the return to school guidance is listed on the Symptom Screener tool, but can be found in greater detail in the Student Handbook Addendum for COVID related topics.

Please review these requirements with your children and help prepare them for the new way of attending school, at least for now.  We are so excited to have students back in school and with your assistance, will seek to help students make this transition in a manner that makes them feel safe, comfortable and cared for.

RSU 26 Symptom Screener_8.17.20.pdf