COVID-19 exposures lead 4 southern Aroostook school districts to go remote|
HOULTON, Maine — Four area school districts were scrambling to let parents know their students would be transitioning to remote learning for varying amounts of days starting Monday.
Katahdin Middle-High and Katahdin Elementary schools in RSU 89 are both switching to a remote learning setting starting Tuesday, Dec. 1, through Friday, Dec. 11. Southern Aroostook Community School (RSU 50) held a teacher’s workshop Monday, Nov. 30 before switching to remote learning Tuesday, Dec. 1 through Friday, Dec. 4.
Houlton High School in RSU 29 switched to remote learning for a two-day window Monday, Nov. 30, and Tuesday, Dec. 1.
Hodgdon High School in SAD 70 also switched to remote learning for its high school students until Monday, Dec. 7. Mill Pond Elementary School is maintaining green status and will continue face-to-face instruction, until further notice.
All four schools will reevaluate their positions at the end of their remote learning cycles.
It marks the first time that schools in southern Aroostook County have switched to a full “red” or remote learning model because of COVID-19. Both Houlton and Hodgdon schools closed for two extra days during Thanksgiving break this past week, but did not employ remote learning during those extra days off.
RSU 89 Superintendent Marie Robinson informed parents Sunday afternoon that the school would be switching to a remote learning status after discovering a person associated with Katahdin schools recently tested positive for coronavirus.
“Out of an abundance of caution we will be shifting to remote learning from Dec. 1 to 11,” the superintendent said. “There will be no school for students Monday, Nov. 30. Further communication regarding device pick up will be forthcoming.”
Katahdin students will return to in-person classes on Monday, Dec. 14. Should RSU 89 need to extend the period of remote learning, parents will first be notified via the Katahdin school’s Blackboard call system. Notifications will be made via Facebook and the district website as well.
RSU 50 Superintendent notified parents Sunday evening that his school would be shifting to remote for the week. SACS has one building for pre-kindergarten through grade 12.
“I have learned many things these last few months, one of them being that things can change in an instance,” he said. “We now have a confirmed case of COVID-19 in the high school. The student has not been in school since Nov. 20. There is also a staff member who has been identified as a probable case.”
SACS plans to return to in-person learning on Monday, Dec. 7. Students were able to pick up materials and devices at the school to use for the remainder of the week on Monday.
RSU 29 Superintendent Ellen Halliday told parents Sunday afternoon that only Houlton High School students would be using a remote-learning method for education for Monday, Nov. 30, and Tuesday, Dec. 1 .
“Two individuals associated with Houlton High School have been deemed positive cases for COVID-19,” the letter said. “Due to the number of staff members at Houlton High School who have been identified as close contacts and the lack of substitutes to cover those classes — all Houlton High School students will be remote for Nov. 30 and Dec 1. At this time, we plan to resume in-person instruction for Houlton High School students on Wednesday, Dec. 2.”
All other schools including Houlton Middle School will return as planned on Monday, Nov. 30.
“We have been directed by the CDC to notify students and adults who had close contact with the individual that they must be quarantined for 14 days from last contact,” Halliday stated. “We have completed those calls at this time. If you do not receive a call, then your child was not one who had close contact with this individual. None of the cases of identified individuals were contracted at school.”
The superintendent stressed that RSU 29 schools continue to follow all of the safety and health care precautions.
“Many recent studies have shown that schools are one of the safest places for our students to be,” Halliday said. “It cannot be stressed enough, however, that we all continue to practice appropriate precautions such as wearing face coverings and practicing social distancing outside of our schools as well. We continue to work closely with the CDC, Department of Education, and our local health care partners.”
