July 18, 2020
Greetings Boothbay-Boothbay Harbor CSD and Boothbay Region Community:
Administration has been diligently researching school systems across the state and country, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Maine Department of Education (MDOE) for guidelines and updates regarding school reopening in the fall. As we look ahead, the Boothbay- Boothbay Harbor CSD Reopening Schools Advisory Committee is actively working to gather information from stakeholders to prepare for school in the fall. The Committee, consisting of school leaders, teachers, community members, parents, health and safety officials, district superintendent, and other experts will work to produce an actionable framework based on the latest guidance from the CDC, MDOE, and both State and local health officials. We have an excellent team and feel incredibly positive about the focus, commitment, and hard work being demonstrated! The framework will address the physical, mental, social, instructional, and emotional considerations to reopen and manage our schools during this ongoing pandemic.
The health and safety of our children, staff, and all our community members are paramount as we look ahead to fall. Because of the many variables that may shift over the coming weeks and months, schools will need a plan with multiple approaches and strategies that can be initiated independently or simultaneously, depending on need. This will include: a plan allowing students to return to school in buildings, a plan for distance learning, and a hybrid blended learning model comprising both distance and in-person education. None of this work would be possible if it was not for the aid and commitment of the Boothbay Region community. While other schools in our state were not able to swiftly switch to remote learning due to lack of technology, we were fortunate that our community continues to support one to one devices for all of our students Kindergarten through twelfth grade. This made the transition easier for our students and staff. Our School Board has continued to support lower class sizes, which makes our hope for returning to in-person instruction as soon as possible more feasible. Through the generous donations of many local community members we have been able to provide ongoing nutritious meals to students and families. We are also thankful for the support with capital improvement monies from our Board of Trustees, as the new ventilation system installed at BRES is going to provide the needed air exchange and filtration for a healthy return to our building. Our community has continued to demonstrate support for our schools in so many ways and we are endlessly grateful!
Given the ever-changing landscape presented by COVID-19, the 2020-21 school year will likely result in a combination of many learning plans to meet the many needs of our students. We appreciate your ongoing understanding as we work to provide quality education while also keeping our students, families, and staff safe. Our reopening plans will be tailored to our school community and it will be flexible enough to accommodate loosening or tightening of restrictions as we move through the school year. We are in a good position and better prepared because of the support our community has provided us.
While we all want to be together, starting the school year as we have each year, Covid-19 challenges us to identify multiple alternatives and a different way of planning for the start of the year. Please know that our plans will be developed with input from our constituents (students, parents and staff) as well as key health experts and other professional organizations. As a community, we are committed to the safety, health, and education of all. We will continue to provide information and updates in the weeks to follow.
We thank you for your continued support,
Shawna Kurr; Principal BRES & Tricia Campbell; Principal BRHS
Reopening Planning:
https://core-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/805517/CSD_Boothbay__Boothbay_Harbor_Reopening_Planning_Document.pdf