By Wayne E. Rivet

Staff Writer

Amy Morton sees a big difference in how her two children are learning under current pandemic conditions.

Her first grader, who attends Songo Locks Elementary School five days each week, is showing steady progress.

Her third grader, who is a hybrid learner (two days in school, three days remote), is “stagnant, if not behind in her learning.”

“It’s really sad,” Morton said. “We need to put our kids emotional and mental health ahead of this virus. Studies show that students are the least carriers (of the virus),” Morton told SAD 61 School Board members via Zoom Monday night. “Homes are becoming stressful environments.”

Several parents lobbied for the board to make the move to full, in-person instruction. The March 22 Zoom meeting had 101 people in attendance.

The SAD 61 School Board agreed. They voted unanimously Monday night to return to in-person instruction Monday through Thursday starting April 5 for all those students currently educated under the district’s hybrid model. Fridays will remain the same, as remote days. Five-day, in-person instruction begins after April break.

If a parent has a concern about the return to full in-person instruction, the parent can move their student to remote for the remainder of the school year.

While SAD 61 might “add a few” remote students to the mix if space is available and parents are willing, full remote students will stay in their present instructional mode.

Before the School Board took up the in-person instruction question, Barry Johnson, who is a LRHS math teacher/department head and president of the LR Teachers’ Association, revealed findings of a teacher survey he conducted regarding the return to full-time instruction.

Of the 109 survey results returned, 16 were in full support of the return of in-person; 34 had some reservations; 30 did not support the return by April 5, but would be supportive of a return after April break; and 29 said no to April 5 and felt SAD 61 should wait until the start of the next school year, in August.

Johnson said teachers are nervous about the recent uptick in Covid-19 cases in Maine and data showing an increase of cases involving the virus being transmitted by students.

“It’s a boom we don’t want to see,” Johnson said. He pointed out that at the high school, 24 students and 10 staff members are in quarantine. If both cohorts had been potentially exposed to the virus, those numbers would double.

Johnson’s concern comes as SAD 61 had a Stevens Brook Elementary School staff member test positive for Covid-19 on Saturday, March 20. As per Covid-19 guidelines, contract tracing was conducted immediately and officials found that direct contacts were limited to a “very small group of staff and students.” Those individuals were notified and were to quarantine for 10 days. Their return to school, if well, is this Monday, March 29. Those students affected had their educational programming moved to “remote” status during the period of quarantine.

A “community letter” from Superintendent Smith was posted on the district website dated March 22.

Johnson also felt achieving social distance could be problematic at times, such as 15 to 18 students trying to enter a classroom at one time to be on time. With class periods at 60 minutes, Smith said the loss of five or so minutes to be sure everyone keeps their distances as they enter rooms is worth the price for students to return to full in-person instruction.

Smith noted that current CDC guidelines accept 3-foot distancing in classrooms, and the district will continue to require face coverings. The district will also utilize large spaces, such as the gyms, as places students can eat their lunches.

In talking with students, Johnson found some had reservations about returning to full-time in-person instruction. 

Teachers are also nervous since many have yet to be fully vaccinated (still waiting on a second shot, while others have yet to reach the two-week mark following the second inoculation). Between nervousness and anxiety, the two factors could result in higher levels of absenteeism amongst staff, Johnson said.

“Over and over again, we have said we don’t want to have a setback. We want to stay where we are. We don’t want an outbreak, quarantine and school closure,” he said. “We all know that remote is not as effective as hybrid.”

Johnson added that students have found a “routine” now with their hybrid model, and it could be disrupted by quarantining and even school closure caused by an outbreak.

“Let’s follow the science, math and mental health. It doesn’t add up by bringing people back full-time right now,” Johnson said.

At press time, Johnson had not heard of any teachers who might not return “due to the safety issue that will arise from this return to students being full time, but it is still early.” He noted, “there is no provision for this in the contract, so they would be at the mercy of the Superintendent and the board unless they qualified for a medical leave of absence.”

Smith thanked Johnson for his insight, but also pointed out that SAD 61 has between 210-220 teachers, and to date, 74% of staff has received at least one Covid-19 vaccination while 15% has had two doses. He added that 7% elected not to get vaccinated “for various reasons.”

Regarding case numbers, Smith said 18 students have tested positive for Covid-19 and 22 staff members, to date. The district has 450 staff members and about 2,000 students.

Safety has been a priority since the virus outbreak, Smith said, and will continue to be a driving force in how SAD 61 operates. Smith is confident in the back-to-school plan administrators have pieced together, including adding another bus route and with the return of warmer weather, plans to set up tents and use picnic tables as part of outdoor instructional spaces.

If Smith searched for a good example that in-person can be achieved with the virus still lurking, he didn’t have to look very far. Lake Region Vocational Center has used full in-person instruction since the fall, and enrolls students from three school systems. To date, there has been just onepositive Covid case at the Center.

Several parents chimed in via Zoom. Dani Longley felt more confident about an August or September return, while Naomi Phillips, who operates Milestones in Casco which has 37 students, surveyed parents and allwere in favor of the move to full in-person instruction.

Songo Locks teacher Holly Tremblay supported the move, noting students desperately need a chance to reconnect with friends (something her eighth grader has sorely missed), while it would be nice for seniors (she has one) to get a chance to create some memories with classmates before they graduate.

Parent Amber Webster called attention to how students “feel alone” and struggle emotionally as they try to learn via Zoom. She fully supports a return to school.

Smith understands risks still exist, but as more people vaccinate and protocols stay in place, the superintendent feels SAD 61 can safely bring students back into classrooms on a full-time basis, ultimately getting kids back on track educationally and emotionally.