SAD 46 with a view to the transmission rate-based mask guideline

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DEXTER – Since classes started a few weeks ago, indoor masks have been mandatory in SAD 46 schools. The school management made this decision in August.

DEXTER – Since classes started a few weeks ago, indoor masks have been mandatory in SAD 46 schools. That decision was made by the school board during a meeting held on Aug. 31 when the directors also implemented optional pool tests and decided to review the mask policy at the next meeting.

The policy is still in effect after a September 15 meeting, but the Board of Directors Policy Committee is reviewing guidelines that might adjust masking requirements based on the color-coding system of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention community. Penobscot County is currently red, the strictest of the four color names.

During the meeting held through Zoom, Superintendent Kevin Jordan said the week leading up to the school board’s policy committee meeting and heard from school district nurse Crystal Greaves. “We started looking at a process to remove the universal masking and looking for a plan to follow,” said Jordan.

Exceptions can be made for masks for people with certain disabilities, and face shields require a medical certificate.

He said one option could be a full plan with data points to see if there would be optional masking or even no masking.

Brian Sawtelle, vice chairman of SAD 46 and a member of the policy committee, said a preliminary idea of ​​the meetings was to require masks under red and orange labels, but to have protective clothing under the less stringent blue and yellow labels optional.

“Our goal, our goal is to get to a point where we can do this optional,” Sawtelle said. He said the directive could potentially also allow district administrators to make mask-related decisions instead of doing so at the board level.

Sawtelle such a guideline is still in the preliminary stage and will be discussed further in the larger board after the guideline committee has done additional work.

“I think the Policy Committee is the right place to discuss this,” said CEO Andrea Rollins.

The meeting started with a nearly hour-long public participation session with various types of COVID-19-related information presented by district officials.

“We’ve had 18 positive cases in the district since day one,” Jordan said, saying several other people are waiting for the test results. “Of the 18 positive cases, 345 people were declared close contacts. One hundred and fifty-seven of them had to be quarantined. “

As a result of the universal masking and other procedures, the superintendent said, “188 students and staff did not have to be quarantined.”

“Unfortunately, most of the quarantine took place in the canteen and on the bus,” said Greaves. She said that the masks were removed while the students were eating, and in the vehicles, the students sit close together despite wearing masks.

Greaves said that Ridge View Community School – which was in the middle of a week of distance learning when the school committee meeting was held – has quarantined players on both girls’ soccer teams and the soccer team due to close contacts.

She said between 30 and 35 percent of SAD 46 students and staff signed up for pool tests. She said there had been a delay in the supply chain but hoped the program would begin on Sept. 27.

Under this system, with parental permission, students would be placed in small capsules and swabbed off. The samples would be sent to the laboratory for testing. If there is a positive case in the pool, students will be retested to see who is positive. Those who tested positive would need to be quarantined, and this would help identify close contacts who may need to be quarantined as well.

“Buses are a problem. There is no guidance from [the Maine Department of Education] on bus traffic at this point, ”Jordan said of the number of drivers recommended for vehicles. He said this could be seen and now the students had allocated places.

“Our top priority is to get every child into school every day,” replied the headmaster when asked about a distance learning option, similar to last year. Jordan said the hope is to use as little distance learning as possible.

“It’s not an option at this point, but I think it’s on the table depending on how the next few weeks go,” he said.

Jordan said Ridge View is slated to reopen on Monday, September 20. “I’ll check all the data with Crystal and [Principal Jessica Dyer] later that week, ”said Jordan. “It seems that this session is helping. We don’t see the numbers we made last week. “

He later said that masks could become optional as the transfer rate is lowered. “We have started these discussions and can assure you that this is our aim too,” said the superintendent.

Jordan mentioned the discussions of the policy committee and said the full board should discuss a mask policy at the October meeting.

In his report, Steve Bell, director of Dexter Regional High School, said that as of September 15, 286 students were enrolled. “Remember, we don’t have international students this year, so we’re under 300,” he said.

Bell said the students did a good job remembering to wear their masks. He said this and the vaccination of the students helped keep the school open to face-to-face learning.

“We look forward to pool tests,” said the headmaster.

He said homecoming was scheduled for Friday October 1st and Saturday October 2nd. “There will be some normal things, but other things like your dance and pep rally will not happen,” said Bell. He said the parade and sporting competitions are still planned.

“We had a fantastic start to the school year and we were very excited to welcome the children back,” said Dyer.

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