Friday, March 4, 2022
Dear RSU 71 Students, Families, Staff, School Board, and Community Partners,
This week, the big news is that on Monday night, the RSU 71 school board voted unanimously to make masks optional beginning Monday, March 7.
Our board considered many factors, including the U.S Centers for Disease Control downgrading the Waldo County risk of coronavirus infection from Red/Orange (high risk) to Yellow (medium risk). This link takes you to the most updated guidance: U.S. CDC Risk Assessment by County.
The U.S. and Maine CDCs recommend:
If you are at high risk for severe illness, talk to your healthcare provider about whether you need to wear a mask and take other precautions.
Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines.
Get tested if you have symptoms.
Moving to optional masks does not yet remove the requirement for masking if an individual is positive and returning to school during days 6-10 or is known to be close to someone who has tested positive. We are awaiting Maine CDC's updated SOP (standard operating procedures), which is scheduled to be released on Wednesday of next week, at which point we will update our district's plan to align it with the Maine CDC guidance and bring it before our school board.
Pandemic Update
Vaccination Clinic in Belfast Today - A Covid-19 vaccination clinic will be held at the Tarratine Building located at 153 Main Street in Belfast from 1:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. on Friday, March 4, 2022. The Clinic will be providing first, second, and booster Covid vaccinations for adults and (with parental consent) to persons 5 - 17 years of age. Everyone receiving the first dose of Pfizer or Moderna will be scheduled for their second dose before leaving the Clinic. There is no cost to receive a vaccination, and walk-ins are welcome. The Clinic is being brought to you by the Belfast Fire & EMS Department and Belfast Public Health Nursing, in cooperation with the City of Belfast, the Tarratine Building owners, the Waldo County Emergency Management Agency, and the Maine CDC Division of Public Health Nursing.
This Week's Data
Good News, Reminders, Information
Ames&Weymouth - Read Across America was celebrated in the TriTown by dressing as your favorite book character. Staff and Students truly celebrated
our love of reading!
CASS - We've accepted the challenge from the Belfast Lions to collect eyeglasses and cell phones. These items will be recycled or repurposed to support people in need. Last year the Belfast Lions were challenged to collect more than the Camden Lions and beat them soundly. So please send old cell phones and glasses in with your child. Thank you.
THMS
Seventh-grade students deliver Swiss Chard weekly from their greenhouse to the Belfast Coop. Projects like this involve interdisciplinary learning that combines botany, economics, mathematics, and community engagement.
Students in the TLC Program have studied the solar system and worked hard to turn their break room into a planetarium. Flat Stanley has made it to the moon! Each student seld a planet and was asked questions for their final. Each student who answered the questions correctly was then able to choose an egg. Some of the eggs were hard-boiled, and some were raw. They then broke the eggs over staff member Lynn Dumas's head.
BCOPE - Our very own Mia Fay is featured in Penbay Pilot in the "Rad Kids" series. Here's the link to the article: BCOPE's Mia Fay in the News!
BAHS - The Sports Boosters had a very successful Ice Fishing Derby on February 18 - 19. BAHS Parent and Swanville Selectman Scott Cournoyer reports that there were lots of great comments from the fishermen. In addition, multiple fish were donated to Belfast Soup kitchen, cleaned and vacuum sealed by volunteers, and delivered Monday. It was also a great learning experience for students as our Belfast Area High School science teacher David Thomas took each opportunity at weigh-in to teach a little something about the fish and other related topics. Many thanks to our student volunteers, Chase Weaver, Judson Thomas, Kendra Woods, and Sarah Cournoyer. We also appreciate the Town of Swanville for letting us use the town office downstairs as the weigh-in station, other adult volunteers Deb Cournoyer, Bob Hatch, Beth Hatch, and our many sponsors (listed below).
Final leaderboard
Salmon
#1 = 2.17 lbs, Logan Vaillancourt
#2 = 1.90 lbs, Tanner Smith
#3 = 1.40 lbs, Tracey Parsons-Landry
Trout (Brook Trout)
#1 = 1.35 lbs, Galen
#1 = 1.09 lbs, Alivia Hills
#2 = 1.01 lbs, Hunter Knight
Togue (Lake Trout)
#1 = 10.94 lbs, Chris Knight (photo)
#2 = 3.85 lbs, Austin Parker
#3 = 3.77 lbs, Hunter Knight
Note: The 10.94 togue was caught on Saturday at Swan Lake. BAHS parent Chris Knight drove it to Greenville on Sunday to weigh in for the Maine Statewide togue and won 1st place and $1,000!
Public Service - I am grateful for the kindness of our community in communicating its understanding of the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic. I appreciate our school board's excellent stewardship. Servant leadership is a value shared by our school board, administrative team, and the many staff and student leaders in RSU 71.
With warm wishes for a great weekend and week ahead,
Mary Alice McLean
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