January 13, 2022
Dear Parents/Guardians,
The Maine Department of Education updated their Standard Operating Procedures related to Covid-19 yesterday at 1:15pm. Please see an excerpt of the priority notice sent to schools below.
"The Standard Operating Procedure has been updated to clarify questions from the previous iteration and to offer an option to suspend contact tracing for those schools who are implementing a universal masking policy, defined as "A policy of requiring consistent and correct usage of well-fitting masks in indoor spaces for all students, faculty, staff, and visitors, and across all school-based and school-sponsored activities. A universal masking policy allows for removal of masks while eating/drinking in designated spaces, but not for indoor 'mask breaks.' " This updated SOP can be viewed, here. "
Based on this new information, we will be educating students about the updated expectations related to universal masking. All staff and students will continue to wear masks (covering their mouths and noses) in the building, but they can only be removed while actively drinking or eating. We will no longer be able to offer indoor mask breaks due to the above guidelines, but we will offer outdoor mask breaks when feasible. These changes allow us to keep students and staff at school in-person unless they are sick and shorten the isolation time of positive individuals who do not have symptoms.
Because we are no longer contact tracing, it is even more important to communicate with us if your student is sick, and keep them home.
Thank you for your continued support of our students.
Sincerely,
Sarah Hainer