Weekly Update - 1/27/22

 Dear RSU 71 Students, Families, Staff, School Board, and Community Partners, 

This week's update is being sent on Thursday rather than Friday and is shorter than usual.

Pandemic Update 

Binax Now Tests - As we all know, the Omicron surge has resulted in an unprecedented number of positive COVID-19 cases. Unfortunately, we see a similar increase in cases in our schools. The State of Maine is working hard to approve and ship orders for Binax NOW rapid tests as soon as possible, but our supplies are running low. 

1. At this time, our priority is to utilize Binax NOW for follow-up testing of positive pools.

2. We recognize that finding at-home tests can be challenging, as can getting a test scheduled. As a reminder, participation in pooled testing provides weekly testing and may reduce the need for testing done outside of school.  

3. A reminder that you can sign your student up for pooled testing at any time. You can sign up here https://www.rsu71.org/departments/school-nurses/pooled-testing. Or, you can ask your school for a paper consent form. 

Data - Here are the numbers for this week (though Thursday morning):

	# New Positives  in isolation (day 0-5 not attending school)	Positives in days 6-10 (attending school)	# Community Quarantine (attending school - universal mask-wearing)	% Staff Vaccination and Student Vaccination - at least 2 doses	# Signed up for Pooled Testing (students and staff)
Ames	8	4	28	81% staff 28% students	72
Weymouth	3	4	22	93% staff 22% students	47
CASS	7	11	54	91% Staff 32% Students	190
EB	1	0	5	91.3% staff 14% students	36
Nickerson	2	4	35	84.6% Staff 13% students	30
THMS	9	15	45	88% staff 50% students	162
BAHS/BCOPE /AE/CO/Bus/ Maintenance	18	26	52	86% staff 59.2%	BAHS 192 Bcope 11 CO/AE 12

Good News and Information

CASS School - From Principal Widmer:  We are beginning our winter testing period this week. Our school  system uses the NWEA (North West Evaluation Association) assessment, an online assessment that is "adaptive." The test adjusts to each student's learning level along a continuum of learning, creating a "just right" assessment, cutting down on frustration, and allowing a more accurate assessment of each student. Our district adopted this assessment before the state adopted it for the yearly standardized assessment allowing us to be one step ahead, which is a nice place to be. I am excited to see what these assessments tell us, as we have done pretty well given this year's circumstances. 

We have passed the halfway point in this academic year - hard to believe! The 100th day of school will be a week from this coming Friday. We are doing well, keeping ahead of the curve here and trying to ride it out to the end. The group effort of all the teachers, support staff, students, parents, and community members makes this possible. Thank you, all. 

Training Offered -  WHAT ABOUT SUBSTITUTE TEACHING?

Would you like to support the students and staff in RSU #71? Join us for an evening workshop with CASS Assistant Principal Reynolds. We will explore the ins and outs of substitute teaching. Learn about opportunities for part-time employment and get your questions answered. Participants will have support in filling out the paperwork necessary to apply. Refreshments provided! The program is scheduled for Thursday, 17 February 2022, from 5:00-7:00 pm at Belfast Adult Education Learning Center. REGISTER in person at Belfast Adult Education or by telephone by calling 207-338-3197. There is no fee for this program.

BCOPE (Belfast Community Outreach Program in Education)

 

Teacher Lindsey Schortz writes, Our Building a Sustainable Infrastructure Project will allow our school community to achieve goals set by our students: 1) to address food insecurity in our community (specifically as it relates to our students and their families), and 2) to strengthen and solidify the infrastructure of the BCOPE Garden Program.

 

We applied for a grant from the Maine Agriculture in the Classroom Garden and Greenhouse, which awards up to $2000.00. We will receive the full amount, $1957.00, which will be used to replace and upgrade our existing fence, build tomato cages, and purchase additional tools and five yards of organic compost. These changes will allow us to upgrade our existing infrastructure and intensify our vegetable and flower production. 

 

Almost every student and staff member at BCOPE was involved in writing and researching the grant – hence our excitement about its being awarded! The THMS Garden Coordinator David Wessels was also incredibly helpful and made time to sit down, brainstorm, and discuss the feasibility of our plans. 

 

Many thanks to Maine Ag in the Classroom and everyone else in the RSU 71 and greater Waldo County community who continue to support our garden program.

 

Cheer

 

Congratulations to the cheerleaders and their coaches for a program-best 7th place finish at last Saturday's KVAC Championships at the Augusta Civic Center. Their competition routine can be watched on our YouTube Channel, RSU71 TV. The BAHS portion of the video begins at the 11th minute. Here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOaEyrBsSaWIWyyamydvA-g

 

Food Pantry

 

Today, RSU 71 received a generous donation from the Waldo YMCA: 8 boxes of food and $180 toward our food pantry program. Many thanks to our friends and neighbors at the YMCA for your continued partnership in serving our community!

That's it for this week. Please feel free to be in touch with questions, ideas, concerns, and feedback.

With best regards,

Mary Alice

--

Mary Alice McLean

Superintendent of Schools, RSU 71

(207) 338 - 1960

Weekly Update - Friday 1/21/22

Friday, January 21, 2022

Dear RSU 71 Students, Families, Staff, School Board, and Community Partners, 

Budget Season is Upon Us  Beginning this week, our Director of Finance Chandra Hodgdon, Assistant Superintendent Laura Miller, and I meet with schools and departments to review their budget proposals for FY '23 (fiscal Year 2022 - 2023). Then the administrative team will meet all together to look at the numbers vis-a-vis the percentage increase set by the RSU 71 school board. Budget books will be given to the school board on February 28. Beginning in March, the school board and administrators will be meeting weekly to go over the budget proposal by school, by department, and line-by-line. These meetings are open to the public and are scheduled for March 7, 14, 21, and April 4 and 11. Information about the location of the meetings will be posted on the district website. Chandra and I will be happy to answer questions from the city of Belfast and the towns of Searsmont, Swanville, Morrill, and Belmont, either by ZOOM or in person. A mailing to the public will inform citizens of what the budget proposal contains, and it will be posted in its entirety on the district's website.

Pandemic Update

The CDC again adjusted the SOP (standard operating procedures to address COVID-19). The CDC says that:

• People who have tested positive and been in isolation for five days should, upon return to school and during days 6 through 10, wear masks even when outdoors; and

• People who have tested positive and been in isolation for five days should, upon return to school and during days 6 through 10, stay socially distant (six feet) from others when eating and drinking. 

Elementary students in grades K-8 have been masking outside anyway. We encourage covid-positive students and staff in grades 9 - 12 on days 6 through 12 to mask when outdoors at school and maintain 6 feet of distance from others when eating and drinking.

Helpful Information  

• PCR vs. Antigen Tests - Here's a helpful article about the differences between PCR and Antigen tests for COVID-19.

• Masks - What are the Differences? - Here's some helpful information about masks.

• The federal website allows Americans to request free COVID-19 tests to accept orders for four free tests per home at no cost, including no shipping fees: COVIDTests.gov. 

• Pooled Testing - From staff member Carol Kelly:" I work at CASS as an Ed Tech 3 in Day treatment K-1. I volunteer for pool testing. I am fully vaccinated and received my booster on December 20. To my surprise, I tested positive for Covid on the recent test. I have not been sick or around anyone who is sick. I had no symptoms, nor did anyone in my family. I would encourage all staff to participate. I would not have known about this without testing. Just wanted to share my experience."

This Week's Data

	# New Positives / in isolation (day 0-5 not attending school)	Positives in days 6-10 (attending school)	# Community Quarantine (attending school - universal mask-wearing)	% Staff Vaccination and Student Vaccination - at least 2 doses	# Signed up for Pooled Testing (students and staff)
Ames	4	10	11	81% staff 28% students	70
Weymouth	5	0	14	93% staff 20% students 28% students at least one	47
CASS	10	6	13	89% staff 31.5% students	190
EB	0	4	22	91.3% staff 14% student	35
Nickerson	4	2	29	84.6% Staff  12.9% Student	30
THMS	14	7	81	88% staff 49% students	161
BAHS/BCOPE/AE/CO/Bus/ Maintenance	26	6	43	Staff  88.6 % Students  59.2%	BAHS 191 Bcope 11 CO/AE 12

Good News and Information

BCOPE Student Mia Fay is in the news!   https://waldo.villagesoup.com/2022/01/18/bcope-student-selected-to-attend-d-c-agriculture-summit/

Library Usage - Data on Elementary Library Usage (Second Highest in Maine in December)

RSU 71 Wellness Committee: The Wellness Committee is comprised of staff, students, a board member, and administrators. They meet monthly to create wellness goals for students and staff. In addition, a survey was sent to the community, staff, and students. We are excited to share the 2021/2022 school year goals. Thank you for your support as we implement these goals.  

Staff Goal: To support staff mental wellness and connectedness, schools will provide opportunities (a minimum of 30 minutes per week)  to self-select self-care activities that attend to their mental well-being.

• Implementation Suggestions:

• Before, during, or after school, part of the Friday afternoon schedule.
  
• Ideas:  RJP self-care circles, walks, yoga, fresh air, individual time or time with others, meditation or breathing exercises, guided imagery, use technology in STEAM Lab (BAHS), read something of interest.
  

Student Goal: To support student wellness, schools will increase student outdoor physical activity/friendship time by scheduling 10+ additional minutes each day. This is a suggested practice. Schools will also promote good nutrition through complimentary breakfast and lunch meals available to all students every day.  

• Implementation Suggestions:

• Break Times in the AM and PM allow students time outside, go out a bit early before dismissal, start the morning outside.

• Encouraging students to participate in the foodservice program

• Ideas:  teachers and principals role model by participating in the food service program, utilizing trails/hiking/walk, during advisory time (MS), walk and talk lap or some kind of break (HS), yoga, meditation, or breathing groups (perhaps after school), access to similar links/resources as staff

BAHS

Students in Lisa White and Chip Lagerbom's Marine Studies class presented ecological-themed business plans in a "SharkTank" atmosphere to administrator and teacher guests. Topics included a local seafood fish market, a Belfast Marine Museum along the waterfront, and an "Eco Boba Tea" enterprise.

Jen Littlefield's Health classes interviewed staff on personal topics they wanted to change at BAHS or within the district. Some discussions focused on better student availability to news and updates, awareness and protocols to deal with bullying, and adjusting the start time to the school day. A special acknowledgment to Ryan Eldridge, whose request to gain better access to news and information resulted in an instant addition of the BAHS student body to receive the weekly BAHS newsletter. Well done, Ryan!

10th-grade students at BAHS visited Waldo County Technical Center this week to prepare for the 2022-2023 school year. It's awesome to see our BAHS students in action at WCTC! 

CASS - Captain Albert Stevens School is officially back to normal (or at least as normal as things get these days). The construction work related to the damage over the summer is finally complete, with the library being the last phase. Over the break, the laying of the new carpet was finished, shelves were put back in place, and in the week following the break, all the books were put back in place by our librarian Kristen Byrer and assistant librarian Kristy Raymond. Although this article is about our need for substitute teachers (which is still a real need), our library has a great picture. 

THMS - Students in Mrs. Littlefield's and Mrs. Noyes' 7th-grade science classes recently concluded a research project. Much time was spent in the library with Miss Joy exploring the impact of local invasive species on ecosystems. Students communicated their findings through informational posters, some hand-drawn and others created with Google Slides. 

A shout-out to Belfast Area High School technology integrator Liz Small, who created and printed student posters in Google Slides! Mrs. Littlefield and Mrs. Noyes are proud of their students' work ethic and creativity. Kudos to THMS 7th graders!

That's it for this week. As always, please feel free to be in touch with the staff and me with questions, ideas, feedback, and concerns.

Sincerely,                 

- Mary Alice

Mary Alice McLean

Superintendent of Schools, RSU 71

(207) 338 - 1960