TO: MSAD 15 Students & Families
FROM: Dr. Chanda P. Turner, Interim Superintendent
DATE: December 3, 2024
RE: Storm Day Planning
The district received unprecedented feedback from staff and families last year about storm and emergency days that impacted in-person school days, particularly as school extended late into June. We are going to shift our storm day planning slightly this year from previous years to incorporate this feedback and staff reflections on the opportunities and challenges we have experienced over the last few years. There are three ways we may respond to inclement weather or other events impacting in-person school:
- Two Hour Delay, No Pre-K – we will call a two hour delay when a little extra time will give the towns and the schools what they need to ensure safe attendance at school. On these days, bus pick up times and school start times will be delayed by two hours. There will be no AM or PM Pre-K on days with a two hour delay. Dismissal time and after school activities will generally stay the same.
- Remote Day – we will call a remote day when weather or other events prevent safe in-person school but there are no wide-spread power or internet outages. Most of the time, after school activities, practices, and games will also be cancelled.
- No School Day – we will call a traditional no school day when weather or other events prevent safe in-person school AND there are wide-spread power or internet outages in the Gray or New Gloucester communities. These days will be made up at the end of the school year. Most of the time, after school activities, practices, and games will also be cancelled.
So what’s the same and what’s different?
Whenever possible, we will call remote days in advance as we have done in past years. However, we may still use remote days as an option when we have to make the decision in the morning. This is a change from years past where we only utilized remote days when we could predict them. Please note – there could be times where we call a remote day the night before a storm that we have to change to a no school day in the morning due to power or internet outages (we did have to do this once last year).
As in years past, Principals will communicate with families about the specific schedule expectations for remote days. You can expect to see those communications in the next 24 hours. Also as in years past, teachers have been spending time with students to ensure they are familiar with the programs we use on remote days. In the next few days you can anticipate additional guidance and support to be provided to students on preparing for remote days with refreshers as additional weather events are predicted throughout the year.
For elementary schools where students don’t always bring their devices home – you can anticipate that you will see those devices come home more often. Anytime the weather forecast is questionable, schools will likely send home devices with students just in case. If in-person school is not cancelled, they should bring those devices back to school with them that day.
Additional Supports
MSAD 15 Nutrition Program will provide meals for students for any anticipated remote days. If you would like to receive meals, please complete this form. Schools will send self-stable meals home with students prior to anticipated weather events. If in-person school does not end up being cancelled, families can save those meals for a remote day in the future. If you have questions or need additional support, please contact Wendy Ordway at wordway@sad15.org or 207-657-9331.
If your family is concerned about internet connectivity or access for remote days, we may be able to help. We have limited devices we may be able to provide and/or can help you with community programs for internet access. Please contact your student’s building principal for more information.
Attendance is often a concern we hear from families regarding remote days. Students are expected to attend the synchronous parts of their schedule to be counted as present for those days. In extenuating circumstances, schools may count attendance through other school work engagement. If you have extenuating circumstances that will impact your student’s ability to participate in synchronous learning on remote days, please contact your school principal in advance, as they can often provide guidance and support for those needs. We also understand that things happen that prevent student participation at the last minute (devices didn’t charge, individual houses without power or internet, etc.). Please contact the school when it is safe to do so and those absences will be considered excused.
I know this plan is a departure from years’ past. Some will welcome the shift while others will not. I understand both perspectives. The Administrative Team discussed this at length and came to the above plan as we feel it best balances needs and interests from a PreK-Adult Ed district-wide lens. I will be reviewing this plan with the MSAD 15 Board of Directors at their business meeting on 12/4/24, please tune in to Gray Community Television if you’d like to hear more.
Thanks,
Chanda
