PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — As the COVID-19 pandemic shows signs of slowing down, SAD 1 officials are discussing ways they might help students who have struggled academically.
Curriculum director Jennifer Bourassa gave an update on the district’s current and future efforts to fill student learning gaps during the May 19 school board meeting. Students were able to learn in-person throughout most of the year and have not displayed as many learning gaps as their counterparts in regions of the country where remote learning was more dominant, she said.
“Right now we’re only seeing a slight downward trend [in students falling behind],” Bourassa said. “Most of our students had access to their teachers in person. We weren’t in a situation like schools in Chicago, for example, where kids weren’t in school all year.”
But to help students who have faced greater struggles, Bourassa noted, SAD 1 has implemented or plans to implement two initiatives: Extended Learning at the middle and high school level and Summer Extension for elementary students.
Currently, high school teachers have dedicated extra time after school hours to assist students who are lagging in skills needed to pass certain classes and earn the necessary credits to move up a grade level.
This summer, SAD 1 will host the Summer Extension program, sessions of eight half-days of lower stakes English/language arts and math activities for students whose teachers have recommended they receive more learning opportunities before the fall. Funds to implement that program will come from current and future federal COVID-19 relief funds given to schools.
“We’ll look at grades, classroom work, test scores and teacher recommendations,” Bourassa said, when asked how SAD 1 will determine which students qualify for Summer Extension.
In addition, Bourassa noted, the district is not planning to offer remote learning as a “structured option” like they have during the past school year. Instead, they will plan for returning to full in-person learning, with the exact COVID-19 guidelines still dependent on the status of Maine’s recovery plan.
There is a small number of high school students looking to potentially do remote learning full time and the district has the technology to accommodate them, Bourassa said.
As of May 12, only 10.3 percent of SAD 1’s students were learning remotely full time, according to superintendent Ben Greenlaw.
In other business, the school board heard from one of the district’s families and a community member who expressed support for allowing students to wear honor cords and regalia related to community service, school activities and military enrollment at the high school’s graduation.
Aaron and Jennifer Buzza and their daughter Madelyn Buzza of Mapleton each spoke about conversations they have had with district leaders and why they feel regalia is an important part of recognizing student achievements.
Aaron Buzza recalled an incident at a past graduation ceremony where students who had enlisted in the military were supposedly forced to remove their honor stoles. At another ceremony, he said, a student who earned an Eagle Scout badge from the Boy Scouts was allowed to wear a personal honor cord.
Yet, he noted, the district has no policy that would allow all such students to be recognized for school and community contributions, even though Presque Isle High School’s mission statement urges students to “recognize the importance of participating in community activities.”
Jennifer Buzza said that she contacted schools throughout Aroostook County and Maine to ask about their honor cord and regalia policies. She noted that most County schools allow all forms of honor cords and regalia, including those from non-school community organizations and the military.
Madelyn Buzza told the school board that 41 students in her graduating class have participated in organizations such as Future Farmers of America, Scouts, Jobs for Maine Graduates and other school and community clubs, amounting to 34 percent of the entire class. She wore her Girl Scout uniform, adorned with badges signaling the 150 hours of community service work that earned her bronze, silver and gold awards.
“If academic achievements are recognized, we should also recognize those who have contributed to student clubs or activities,” Madelyn Buzza said.
Liz Higgins of Westfield also spoke in favor of special honor cords for student and community club members. The recognition would mean a lot for students like her daughter Izabelle Higgins, she said. Izabelle served as president of the Maine FFA state officers during the 2020-21 school year and has won local, state and national awards.
“PIHS honors the top academic students, but it’s time we update that tradition,” Liz Higgins said. “Multiple seniors hold memberships [in student and community clubs] and they shouldn’t go unnoticed.”
Due to the guidelines regarding public participation, Greenlaw and school board members could not respond to or ask questions of Higgins or the Buzzas, but board chair Lucy Richard said that they would consider all concerns.
The next school board meeting will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 9, with the location to be determined based on current COVID-19 guidelines. The district-wide budget meeting will be held that same date at 7 p.m. in the Presque Isle High School cafeteria.
