By Wayne E. Rivet

Staff Writer

Superintendent Al Smith is realistic when he looks at options on how to reopen SAD 61 schools this fall.

He knows the number of COVID-19 cases can rise and fall in the matter of hours or days, which ultimately will determine what learning scenario SAD 61 will pursue. Smith unveiled some initial thoughts to the SAD 61 School Board Monday night.

Although school district towns continue to show a low infection rate, they fall under the Cumberland County umbrella. Gov. Janet Mills last week released a color-coded reopening scenarios (based on infection rates) for schools to follow.

Green means all students return to school full time with appropriate safety and health protocols.

Yellow is a hybrid scenario, a mix of in-person attendance along with remote learning. If the state accepts looking at infection rates by zip codes, rather than a county umbrella, Smith sees SAD 61 following “yellow” standards.

Songo Locks and Stevens Brook would have Grades 2-5 split into two cohorts and attend in-person on Monday and Wednesday, while the other group would go Tuesday and Thursday. Friday is fully remote, with students receiving instructional support and working on assignments. Grades K, 1 and self-contained programs attend five full days.

Lake Region Middle School would split into two cohorts and attend in-person either Mon./Wed. or Tues./Thurs., with Friday being a remote day. Self-contained programs attend five full days.

The high school in-person days would include four core courses and one elective, while the other two days would be remote.  Self-contained programs attend five days.

Vocational Center will house all students full-time since class sizes tend to be smaller, and larger working spaces available. Smith noted that the Great Room would likely be used to provide more space (to address social distancing) for the health occupations program.

Red calls for all students access learning 100% remotely.

One mandatory rule will be that all staff and students will be required to wear masks, both on the bus and in schools. Smith emphasized that if parents refuse to comply with the mask measure, their child will need to learn remotely. Officials encourage parents to start having their children wear masks now so that once school starts, they will be adjusted to wearing them. Officials also hope that to help ease costs, parents will send children with masks (if they don’t have one, the school will provide one).

Administrative leaders, staff and some school board members will meet this Wednesday to review their proposed playbook, touching on each line and considering all possible issues and concerns.

To assist with health and safety protocols, SAD 61 will receive $1 million from the government. Smith pointed out that careful consideration will be made regarding how to use that funding since it needs to be stretched out over the full year. One area that will be somewhat tricky is transportation. Smith said based on current guidelines, to achieve social distancing standards, a 72-seat bus will only be able to transport 13 at a time. The district will look at whether additional runs will be needed, and will possibly place monitors on buses early on to be sure passengers follow protocols. 

Smith said the district has placed its initial orders for personal protective equipment ($6,000 to cover the first 2 1/2 to 3 months) such as masks, face shields, gloves and hand sanitizer, and as part of orientation when kids return to schools, they will be made aware of new regulations, as well as proper handwashing. Officials are also looking at devices to assist with morning health checks.

As school leaders started to piece together a reopening plan, based on CDC and state guidelines, they also reached out to parents in a form of a June survey for their input. Approximately 33% of families participated. Some findings:

• 87% indicated they would send their child(ren) back to school if social distancing and safety precautions were in place.

• If it is not possible for all students to return to school in the fall as normal, 48% of respondents preferred a hybrid schedule with the same in-person days and the same remote days each week, ex. Monday and Wednesday in school and Tuesday and Thursday remote. 

• If students attend school in a cohort, parents requested that all children in their family attend on the same days.

• 15% prefer to do 100% remote learning if it is not possible for all students to return to school in the fall as normal.

• 48% indicated they would transport their child(ren) to and from school; 52% would use school transportation.

• The top three safety precautions parents believe are necessary in reopening schools are the following: 93%, hand sanitizer in classrooms and common areas; 63%, building safety measures including routine temperature checks; 50%, social distancing in classrooms and common areas.

Later start?

While high school athletes will start working out on Aug. 3 (the Maine Principals Association Tuesday pushed the start of the high school sports season to Sept. 8, back from the original start date of Aug. 17; preseason will last just two weeks instead of three), Smith posed the idea of pushing the actual school start date back, after Labor Day or even further out, possibly Sept. 14 to give more time to see what the COVID climate is like and give everyone ample opportunity “to digest” all information connected to the reopening.

With the ability to school students remotely, the need for snow days built into the calendar is no longer necessary, and SAD 61 can make up the days associated with the late start by extending some days.