SAD 46 directors approve ‘Return to School Plan’ 

DEXTER — Students at the Ridge View Community School and Dexter Regional High School will be back in the respective buildings when classes resume next month, families can also opt for full-time remote learning if they wish, as the SAD 46 directors approved a “Return to School Plan” on Aug. 12 in the Ridge View cafeteria.

The plan, the various components have been posted at www.aos94.org/covid, will be updated as the school year progresses. Superintendent Kevin Jordan is authorized to make minor changes but major adjustments may be brought back before the school board if necessary.

Under the current green designation for SAD 46, kindergarten to grade 5 pupils would attend classes five days a week. Class sizes have been reduced from years past and the number of classes has been expanded to allow social distancing protocols to be in place. 

Grade 6-12 students would receive a hybrid method of instruction by attending two days of in-person classes with the other three featuring remote learning. These pupils would be divided into a pair of cohorts, with one half coming in on Mondays and Tuesdays and the other half attending Thursday and Fridays. Wednesdays would be remote learning for all grade 6-12 students.

“One thing I want to mention is each one of these plans is a draft,” Jordan said at the start of his presentation, with documents concerning guidelines for students and employees and the plan for returning to school. “We reacted today to some things from the CDC.”

He said there are six health and safety requirements from the Maine Department of Education (DOE) and Maine CDC including symptom screenings and home and then thermal screenings at the school doors. Another is physical distancing, “Our plan is based on six feet everywhere,” Jordan said.

“All students are in masks, all the time,” he said, with breaks scheduled and students permitted to bring in their own masks. The superintendent said face shields can be worn for those with documentation indicating the wearer cannot have a mask on.

“Hand hygiene is an absolute requirement,” Jordan said. He said PPE is required to be on the campuses for students and staff.

“Call us and let us know but do not come into school,” Jordan said about what parents should do if their child feels under the weather.

“I will tell you the DOE is  finalizing our transportation rules,” the superintendent said. These specifications will determine how many can ride the bus, which can then allow SAD 46 officials to determine the bus routes. He said some buses will be making second runs, but costs for extra time for drivers and additional fuel would be coming from more than a $1 million in federal funds awarded to the district.

“So none of this is out of the local tax dollars, which is a good thing,” the superintendent said.

Jordan said in Ridge View meals would be delivered to the classroom, and at the high school students would eat in the rearranged cafeteria.

“All counties in Maine have been declared green,” he said. The DOE will be assessing risk, every two weeks, for school districts with the stoplight color designations.

“Green does not mean we can come back to school with 100 percent normalcy like we did last January,” Jordan said. “Green means we can come back to school with all the social distance requirements in place.” 

The superintendent said given the enrollment numbers, SAD 46 cannot have its buildings at full capacities so the hybrid model is being used and the method of instruction would remain as is should the district be changed to yellow. Under a red designation, everyone would be taking part in remote learning.

When designations based on counties, Jordan said he has asked the DOE about what may happen should there be a COVID-19 flare up in Bangor or if Somerset County was closed and how this would impact SAD 46 with Ripley being in Somerset County. 

“What we have been told is it’s going to be county only, I hope there is some consideration for individual circumstances,” he said.

“The DOE at this point has waived the 175-day requirement, we are still in place to do 175 days with remote learning,” Jordan said. He said the state may also waive some of the required testing in 2020-21. The superintendent added that about 15 percent of K-12 families have indicated they plan to go with full-time remote learning.

Unless prohibited by the state, teachers would be instructing from the classroom under the red designation and their lessons would be recorded. Attendance will be taken for remote learning under all circumstances.

Jordan was asked about high school sports and he said the Maine Princiapl’s Association (MPA) has specified Sept. 8 as the first day of fall practices with the first countable games set for Sept. 18. He said that there is doubt by some about the feasibility of a fall season but “at this point we’re following MPA guidelines. We are going to continue to monitor what the MPA is doing and make a decision or have  the MPA make a decision for us.”

He said the Penquis League will not be having a fall season for the region’s middle schools.

In his report Dexter Regional High School Principal Stephen Bell said, “We’re adjusting the start time at Dexter Regional High School, moving it back to 8:30 (from 8 a.m.).” He said the move will allow for busing flexibility.

Some breaks will be eliminated so under the switch to 8:30 a.m. students will still receive the same amount of instruction. “We will see how it goes, I’m sure there will be some frustrations at the start,” Bell said.

Freshmen orientation would be Wednesday, Sept. 2. The A-J high school surname cohort starts on Thursday, Sept. 3, the K-Z group begins the following day and everyone in grades 9-12 begin the educational plan for 2020-21 on Tuesday, Sept. 8 following Labor Day.

“Like Steve said we are also changing our start, starting at 8 and ending at 2,” Ridge View Principal Gerald Kiesman said. He said the school would also be restructuring to avoid the loss of academic time.

“We have still got some pieces to iron out but we’re in pretty good shape,” Kiesman said.

“We’re trying to go in on Wednesdays with the sending schools,” Tri-County Technical Center Director Brian Leavitt said. He said remote learning would be used if necessary.

Leavitt said technology, such as GoPro cameras for instructors to wear, would enhance educational experience “and that will be an added piece for the distance learning.”