News

Updated health guidelines: MSAD 15

To: MSAD 15 Community
From: Craig King, Superintendent
Date: March 4, 2022
Re: Updated Health Guidelines

The past two years have been hard for everyone. The MSAD 15 community has made the best of it thanks to an incredible commitment from all of you to do our best to keep our students and staff safe and healthy. January and February were very challenging, but we have pulled through and it appears that the situation is improving:
— Weekly case counts for MSAD 15 went from 80 in January to 24 in February, while this week we have had only 7 reported cases.
— We have had four days in the last month with no staff absences for COVID-related reasons.
— 92% of our staff are fully vaccinated and 43% of eligible students are fully vaccinated.
— Daily positive case rates in the state are down significantly.
— 396 students have participated in pooled testing so far this week and all of those pools have come back negative. (Middle School testing occurs today).

This year, we have followed closely the recommendation of the governor, Maine Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Maine Department of Education, and US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and we will continue to do so. On Wednesday, March 2, 2022, the governor’s office decided to change their guidance and recommend masking be made optional in schools where local data and situations warrant. We have updated the MSAD 15 Health Guidelines, following.

Here is a summary of changes to these guidelines:
— Masking will be optional in schools and on buses and other school transportation starting March 9, 2022. Individuals are encouraged to wear masks if they so choose.
— Individuals with COVID-like symptoms will need to stay home and have a lab-validated negative COVID-19 test to return to school.
— Individuals testing positive for COVID-19 will need to isolate for at least 5 days, but can return to school masked at all times for days 6-10 of the isolation period.
— Individuals who are exposed to COVID-19 do not need to quarantine from school, but will need to wear a mask at all times at school during the quarantine period. (Individuals who are fully vaccinated OR participate in the district’s pooled testing program are exempt from this rule.)
— The district will work towards sourcing high-quality KN95 and N95 masks for those students and staff who wish to use them.

Our district has continually tried to be flexible, adjusting guidelines to meet local conditions and keep kids in school five days a week for in-person learning. We will continue to monitor local conditions and adjust these guidelines as needed. We will continue to communicate as much as possible and be transparent in our decision making. We feel lucky to be a part of this community and we appreciate everything that everyone has done to help us prioritize our children and their education during the entirety of this pandemic and moving forward.

MSAD 15 PREVENTION PRACTICE EXPECTATIONS
Implemented 3/9/2022*

Per the MSAD 15 Health Guidelines, the district will follow the recommendations of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Maine Department of Education for health and safety to the degree that is feasible based on local conditions. At this time, those school expectations are as follows:

IF YOUR CHILD IS SICK, PLEASE KEEP THEM HOME
Use the Daily Screening Tool for guidance.

Mask wearing:
— Mask wearing is optional.
— Individuals may choose to wear a mask at any time.
— The district will work towards sourcing high-quality KN95 and N95 masks to provide to those staff and students who wish to wear them.

Isolation and Quarantine:
— If you test positive for COVID-19, you must isolate for at least 5 days following symptom onset (or test sample date if asymptomatic) regardless of vaccination status. Students and staff may return to school after 5 days if they are 24 hours fever-free (without the use of fever lowering medication) and all other symptoms have significantly improved. Families need to consult their school nurse to get clearance for students to return to school. Staff need to consult their building principal or the Superintendent’s Office for clearance to return to school. Positive individuals must wear masks at all times for days 6-10 following symptom onset date (or test sample date if asymptomatic).
— Quarantine will not be required for close contact exposure to a positive COVID-19 case at school. However, individuals who are close contacts to a COVID-19 case must wear a mask at all times at school for ten days following the last exposure date. Individuals who are fully vaccinated (including booster if eligible) and individuals participating in pooled testing are exempt from this rule.

COVID-19 Testing:
— The district will continue to offer pooled testing, a weekly PCR test used to detect COVID-19 in a small population. For more information or to register, see directions in the September 15, 2021 Memo.
— Students or staff with one or more most common symptoms or two or more less common symptoms for COVID-19 must provide evidence of a lab-validated negative test in order to return to school. For more information about testing locations and availability, visit the Maine COVID-19 Testing Website.
— In some cases, school nurses are able to administer BinaxNow rapid COVID-19 tests to symptomatic staff or students. Please contact your school health office for more information.
— Home administered COVID-19 tests will be accepted as validation for positive cases only.

Contact Tracing and Exposure Notification:
— Outdoors and buses will no longer be considered close contact exposure and therefore will not be included in contact tracing or exposure notifications.
— Whenever possible, students or staff in classes with a positive COVID-19 case during their infectious period will be notified so that families can determine if additional masking and/or quarantine is required.

Physical distancing:
— Buses will transport at capacity.
— Meals will be eaten in pre-COVID-19 eating spaces including but not limited to cafeterias, classrooms, and outdoor spaces. Students will be spread out within those areas to the degree space allows.
— Physical distancing is not required in classroom and other learning spaces.

Other special considerations:
— Volunteers may be allowed at the discretion of school principals and/or athletic director. Volunteers must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
— School visitors may be allowed at the discretion of school principals and/or district leadership.
— Pre-service student teachers and practicum students are allowed.

Athletics and Co-Curricular:
— In-person activities are allowed at this time.
— Activities must abide by all health and safety guidelines listed here and in the MSAD 15 Health Guidelines.
— Athletic booster concessions at the indoor snack shack will be allowed.

*The above guidelines will be in place moving forward and updated only if and when new guidance is received or community conditions warrant.