SAD 46 looking at transmission rate-based mask policy

DEXTER — Since classes started several weeks ago, SAD 46 schools have required masks indoors. This decision was made by the school board during an Aug. 31 meeting, where directors also implemented optional pool testing and chose to review the mask policy at the next meeting.

The policy is still in place following a Sept. 15 meeting, but the board’s policy committee is looking at guidelines that could adjust the mask requirement depending on the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s community transmission color code system. Penobscot County is currently in red, the most severe of the four color designations.

During the meeting held over Zoom, Superintendent Kevin Jordan said the week before the school board’s policy committee met and heard from School District Nurse Crystal Greaves. “We began to look at a process to remove universal masking and what would be a plan we would follow,” Jordan said.

Mask exceptions can be made for people with certain disabilities, and face shields would require a doctor’s note.

He said an option could be a comprehensive plan with data points to determine whether there would be optional masking or even no masking.

SAD 46 Vice Chairperson and policy committee member Brian Sawtelle said a preliminary idea from the meetings is to require masks under red and orange designations, but have the protective facewear be optional under the less severe blue and yellow designations.

“Our target, our goal is to get to a point where we could go into making that optional,” Sawtelle said. He said the policy could also potentially allow district administrators to make mask-related decisions, rather than this needing to be done at the board level.

Sawtelle such a policy is still in the preliminary stages and will be discussed more by the larger board after the policy committee does additional work.

“I think the policy committee is the place to discuss that for sure,” Board Chairperson Andrea Rollins said.

The meeting began with a near hour-long public participation session with different types of COVID-19-related information presented from district officials.

“Since the first day of school we have had 18 positive cases in the district,” Jordan said, saying a few other people are awaiting test results. “Of the 18 positive cases it ended up being 345 people have been declared close contacts. One-hundred-fifty-seven of those have had to quarantine.”

The superintendent said as a result of universal masking and other procedures, “188 students and staff have not had to quarantine.”

“Unfortunately most of our quarantining has been from the lunchroom and busing,” Greaves said. She said masks have been off while students eat, and on the vehicles students sit close together despite wearing masks.

Greaves said Ridge View Community School — which was in the middle of a week of all-remote learning when the school board meeting took place — has players on both girls soccer teams and the football squad all quarantined due to close contacts.

She said between 30 and 35 percent of SAD 46 students and staff have signed up for pool testing. She said there has been a delay in the supply chain but she hopes the program will start on Sept. 27.

Under this system students, with parental permission, would be in small pods and they would be swabbed. The samples would be sent off to the lab for testing. If there is a positive case in the pool then the students would be tested again to determine who is positive. Those testing positive would need to quarantine,and this would help determine close contacts who may also need to quarantine.

“Buses are a concern. There is no guideane from [the Maine Department of Education] on busing at this point,” Jordan said about the numbers of riders recommended for vehicles. He said this may be looked at and now students have assigned seats.

“Our first priority is always getting every kid in school every day,” the superintendent said in a response to a question on having a remote learning option similar to what was in place last year. Jordan said the hope is to use remote learning as little as possible.

“At this point it is not an option but I think it’s on the table depending on how the next few weeks go,” he said.

Jordan said the plan is for Ridge View to reopen on Monday, Sept. 20. “I will review all the data with Crystal and [Principal Jessica Dyer] later this week,” Jordan said. “It appears this session is helping. We are not seeing the numbers we did last week.”

He said down the road if the transmission rate is lowered then masks could become optional. “We have started those conversations and we assure you that is our goal as well,” the superintendent said. 

Jordan mentioned the policy committee’s conversations and said the full board should discuss a mask policy at the October meeting.

In his report, Dexter Regional High School Principal Steve Bell said as of Sept 15 enrollment was 286. “Just remember we don’t have international students this year so we are under 300,” he said.

Bell said the students have done a good job remembering to wear their masks. He said this and students getting vaccinated have both contributed to the school staying open to in-person learning.

“We are looking forward to pool testing,” the principal said.

He said Homecoming is planned for Friday, Oct. 1, and Saturday, Oct. 2. “There will be some normal things but other things like your dance, pep rally are not going to happen,” Bell said. He said the parade and athletic contests are still scheduled to take place.

“We had an amazing start to the school year, we were so excited to welcome the kids back,” Dyer said.