Regional School Unit No. 56
147 Weld Street, Dixfield, Maine 04224
Phone: (207)562-4300 - Fax: (207)562-6075
Pam Doyen, Superintendent of Schools
July 29, 2021
Dear Students, Staff, Parents and Guardians,
As July comes to an end, I certainly hope everyone is enjoying summertime in Maine!
We are planning for, and looking forward to, all students returning to school in September. (September 1st for grades K-6 and grade 9; September 2nd for Grades 7-8 and grades 10-12. Pre-K starts on September 7th.)
There has been a lot of news lately around recommendations and requirements for public health and safety. I wanted to make sure I communicated where we stand in RSU 56 right now, at the end of July.
It is mandated by the CDC that all children and adults on school transportation (public transportation) wear masks. It is strongly recommended that people wear masks in public school buildings. RSU 56 has not made mask wearing mandatory as of today. This may be something we have to consider as we near September 1st.
Additionally, the CDC has strongly recommended that each District participate in “Pool Testing” for Covid. A class/group of students would be tested once a week and if the group comes back positive each student is then tested separately. Only the students testing positive would need to quarantine. What this does is significantly decrease the need for close-contact quarantining, thus loss of time in school and loss of work for parents! I am not considering this option at this time; however it may deserve further consideration moving forward. IF pool testing was instituted in RSU 56, ONLY those students with parent permission would participate in this process.
Finally, I STRONGLY urge everyone, age 12 and up, to get the Covid-19 vaccination. None of us want to put masks back on. As Dr. Shah explained in his recent press conference, the mask recommendation is to protect those who choose not to get the vaccination. If your physician determines it safe for you or your child to get the vaccination, please consider helping your community by getting vaccinated.
Please stay safe!
Sincerely,
Pam Doyen