Just to take the 9 items that the article suggests schools should be doing:
Increase ventilation in classrooms and upgrade AC filters.
Already doing - was on call with an HVAC engineer today
Purchase portable air purifiers for poorly ventilated rooms.
Already done.
Install plexiglass shields at reception desks and cafeterias.
Most already done, some more planned.
Add buses to limit the number of kids in each bus.
Even safer - ask parents to transport their kids
where possible this year and ensure social
distance for those remaining on buses - we're doing this.
Purchase fogging machines to disinfect buses.
Don't think this is evidence based. Not doing it.
Although there will be extra cleaning on buses (and buildings!).
Hire additional nurses, cleaning staff, and other aides.
Both additional nursing support and cleaning
staff already authorized at board meeting two weeks ago.
Provide and require masks and hand sanitizer, and
require frequent hand-washing.
All already ordered, much already arrived. Masks
and increased hand washing required. Discussions
already held on how to train with students and if need be enforce.
Test for the virus, trace contacts, and ensure sick kids stay home.
We'd love to test and are having conversations
how, but state of Maine capacity is not really at
that point yet. Please contact your governor and
state representatives. We are looking at multiple
plans to ensure sick kids (and staff) stay home
and that ones that become symptomatic at school are immediately isolated.
Provide remote learning for high-risk students,
and staff that effort so teachers are not forced
to manage both remote and in-class learning.
Any parent/family that wishes including obviously
high risk can opt into remote learning (please
fill out your surveys by Monday). They will have
dedicated staff separate from those teaching in the classrooms.
This doesn't begin to touch our full list of
things we're doing. And of course the biggest
thing is only having ~50% of the kids in the
building at one point in time to ensure social distancing.
I know this is a time of high anxiety. But please
do rest assured that your schools are leaving no
stone unturned to keep everybody safe. We're not
bowing to politics, ignoring science, nor being
lazy. People have worked long hours this summer
to be prepared as best as humanly possible.
Please feel free to contact me or the superintendent with further questions.
Sincerely,
Brian McGill
RSU 26 School Board Chair
At 05:48 PM 7/31/2020, Deborah White wrote:
>If you have questions & concerns about the
>re-starting of RSU #26's schools, please watch
>the Community Q & A video:
><https://youtu.be/NIDA4vnCt9M>https://youtu.be/NIDA4vnCt9M,
>contact your building principals, & attend the
>August 4th Board of Directors meeting.
>
>Check the district FB page as well as the Twitter account for updates.
>
>Deb White
>
>On Fri, Jul 31, 2020, 5:34 PM Stanley M Levitsky
><<mailto:[log in to unmask]>[log in to unmask]> wrote:
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>Article Attached:
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>What It Would Take to Safely Reopen Schools
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>Experts fear that without proper funding or
>precautions, schools will remain ill-equipped to safely reopen to students...
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>The CDC
><https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/schools.html>guidelines
>for school reopenings:
>https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/schools.html
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