RSU 34 -

RSU #34 Educators will be working hard throughout the year to meet the needs of all students, who are participating remotely or in-person. In order to meet those needs, teachers MAY be “livestreaming” or recording parts of the school day to effectively and efficiently engage students who are present, participating remotely, and absent for the day. There are many factors involved with choices to livestream or record live instruction, including the topic/content at hand, the appropriate instructional method for that content, and the needs/permissions of the students. Even if a camera is focused on the teacher, live-streaming offers no protection against a blurted name. Any school district has a number of students with active custody disputes, protection from abuse orders, etc. Many students have some level of anxiety about being on screen; live-streaming a class may open up participation for some and close it for others. If you have concerns about your child being in a room that is livestreamed or recorded, please contact your school administration in writing before the school year begins.

Our 2020-2021 planning document has been updated with the most recent state requirements/guidance, and addressing frequently asked questions through the afternoon of August 19th. Each of our schools also has a FAQ page with school-specific information. Link to the district-wide information: tinyurl.com/y24veyo4 The slides are searchable; you can use Ctrl F on a PC or Chromebook, or Command F on a Mac to search for keywords such as "screening" or "nutrition" If you have a question that is not addressed in the document, please post it here and we'll make sure it's included on either the district-wide or school-specific FAQs. https://forms.gle/btv1gYqmaYmdhcVi6

RSU 34 is looking to fill 5 Ed Tech positions throughout the district for the 20-21 school year. Please check out https://core-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/240651/Non-teacher_Application_2014.pdf for an application

Please click here (http://rsu34me.apptegy.us/o/rsu-34/page/covid19--2) for an overview of RSU #34's plan for the 2020-2021 school year. This is an update of the document that was shared at Wednesday night's public update / Q&A. This document will be continually updated as conditions shift, as new state requirements/guidance emerge, and as we make sure the community's questions are addressed. This document has been updated to address the topics raised at August 12th's public session, as well as Maine's adjusted requirements / guidance which were also released August 12th. Pro tip: There is a lot of information on the plan; to search within the document and find topics more quickly you can use Ctrl F on Windows machines or Chromebooks, or use Command F on Macs. For example, you could search for keywords like "symptom" or "laptop." Each school is also maintaining a FAQ page for school-specific information. Links to those are available on the same website. If you have questions that we've not yet addressed, please post the question here, and we will include the topics in the next update: https://forms.gle/y6gccYBF5bS7LAmk9 Thank you very much for your support and patience as our community navigates the pandemic together. Please do not hesitate to reach out to school or district staff at any time.

Here's a resource about internet connectivity options from the state: maine.gov/doe/covid-19/InternetConnectivity

Here's a link to the slides for this evening's RSU #34 back-to-school presentation and Q&A: tinyurl.com/y5fmhqcf The link to the Zoom session, which begins at 6:30, is https://networkmaine.zoom.us/j/81748182042

Important Reminder: RSU #34 will be finalizing in-person enrollments based on family preferences we have received and enrollments through August 14th. New enrollments or family preferences for remote or in-person learning expressed after that point will be processed as they come in. At minimum new enrollees will be supported in remote learning, and will be offered in-person learning as space allows. That space will not necessarily be in the school the child would normally attend based on address, in which case families may need to provide transportation. In grade K-12 families that prefer for their student to learn remote-only may continue to do so. Enrollments are processed at the Superintendent's Office, 156 Oak Street in Old Town. (207) 827-7171.

Dear RSU #34 community, as the calendar turns to August and we still navigate a pandemic together, we know you have many questions, worries, and wonders about the 2020-2021 school year. Our team has been working toward a safe and effective 2020-2021 school year since April. We are working hard to bring students back in-person as often as possible within state and federal requirements and reasonable precautions for the safety of all involved. We continually update and revise our plans as the scientific and medical community learn more about the novel coronavirus, and as we learn from nations and states with earlier school start dates. Please let us know your questions here; we will use this information to update a FAQ that will become publicly available late on Wednesday, August 12th. https://forms.gle/FaeejQT2ERDAWyEr7 Please joining us in washing hands, wearing masks, and keeping distance to keep the community spread of COVID-19 slow! Our community and state have worked very hard and sacrificed to keep the spread slow since March; thank you and let's keep it up!

RSU #34 community, we're working to prepare for everything that may come our way this year, and know access to devices at both home and school is important. Our older students will be able to take devices back and forth as normal, but if you've seen how many mittens a little kid loses each week, you know they need a different plan! If you do any weekend cleaning, please keep an eye out for older laptops & chargers that may not be of use at home anymore. We anticipate a community-wide effort in the next few weeks in collaboration with an awesome partner to help collect, rehab, and redistribute older computers to kids in our schools that will use them at home. There's a well-regarded program called CloudReady/NeverWare that can turn some really old machines into devices similar to ChromeBooks. If you have any contacts in the business community that may have access to a number of decommissioned computers, we'd appreciate that outreach as well! Thank you - we have an awesome community! https://guide.neverware.com/supported-devices/

RSU #34 will be finalizing in-person enrollments based on survey form feedback and enrollments through August 14th. New enrollments or family preferences for remote or in-person learning expressed after that point will be processed as they come in. At minimum new enrollees will be supported in remote learning, and will be offered in-person learning as space allows. That space will not necessarily be in the school the child would normally attend based on address, in which case families may need to provide transportation.

Check out https://www.rsu34.org/employment-applications-and-vacancies for Job Openings at RSU 34 for the 20-21 school year!

Required parent form for RSU #34 students - Fall 2020 Dear Parents/Guardians of RSU #34 Children, Our district has put together a form through which parents/guardians will inform the schools of their family’s plans and needs for the upcoming start to the school year. Please submit one form per RSU #34 student in order for us to coordinate family plans PreK-12. We estimate this form will take no more than 5 minutes per student to complete. Please submit this form as soon as possible and no later than Friday, July 31st. You can watch the presentation of our planning to the School Board here: https://www.rsu34.org/article/272060?org=rsu-34 RSU #34 anticipates needing to move flexibly between three “lanes” in 2020-2021, depending on things such as community transmission rates of the novel coronavirus and the rates of student and staff illnesses with symptoms similar to COVID-19. These lanes are: fully remote learning, a combination of in-person and remote learning, and in-person learning five days per week. Families that wish to participate remotely all year long may do so. More details and background about the district’s plan can be found here (tinyurl.com/y9o23gmk). Here is the link to the form: https://forms.gle/qzbHRsjgZQuNAkuNA Any questions should be directed to the building principal of your student. Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter. We thank you for your hard work, patience, and community spirit supporting our children throughout the pandemic. Sincerely, RSU #34 Planning Team

RSU #34's 2020-2021 application for federal program funding is in the "public comment" phase. This application, under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), covers services we provide to students through Title IA, Title IIA, and Title IVA. Services provided under these funds include Reading Recovery, Supplemental Instruction for Literacy and Mathematics, professional development for teachers, and Title IV programming under Safe & Healthy Schools, Well-Rounded Education, and the Effective Use of Technology. For more information on the applications and/or to provide comment, please email Dr. Doty at jon.doty@rsu34.org . Thank you for your support of RSU #34 schools!

VOTE! School Budget Validation Referendum Vote tomorrow July 14, 2020. Please support the budget as adopted at the annual school budget meeting held on June 24, 2020

RSU#34 July 2020 Board Meeting Wednesday July 15th 6:30 pm David Walker is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting. Topic: July 15, 2020 Board Meeting Time: Jul 15, 2020 06:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada) Join Zoom Meeting https://networkmaine.zoom.us/j/83596851882 Meeting ID: 835 9685 1882 The School Board meeting on Wednesday, July 15th will include an update about planning for the 2020-2021 school year. The meeting will be at 6:30 PM, and a videoconferencing link is included above. At the June meeting we shared an invitation to participate in planning and feedback; if you’d like to be involved please email Dr. Doty for more details. Jon.Doty@rsu34.org As you’ve no doubt seen, information about the COVID pandemic changes rapidly, as do things like outbreaks and the availability of PPE. Our team continually adjusts planning possible paths forward based on medical guidance, a “reasonable precautions” approach, and resource availability. We’re working to develop a flexible, resilient approach that can carry forward through changing conditions. We know that our approach to schooling is tremendously important to kids, staff, household members / families, and community – and that our approach impacts learning, safety & well-being, social development, abuse & neglect, adults’ ability to work, and much more. We know we and our students are fortunate to live and work in an awesome community that always finds a way.

2020-2021 SCHOOL CALENDAR - Can be found in the documents page of our website

The Maine Department of Education will soon release draft guidance for schools and communities, with parameters and restrictions for a safe reopening of the physical school buildings. Our educators are very eager to teach kids in person. We know the path ahead is complex and uncertain, with some factors in our control and some beyond our control. Next Wednesday evening, June 17th, there are two public opportunities to learn more and ask questions. The School Board's committee on Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment meets at 5:45 pm via Zoom; planning for the fall is the largest agenda item. The full School Board meets at 6:30 pm via Zoom; a more brief update on our plans for the fall will be shared then. Both meetings have opportunities for public comment, but please know you can reach out to our schools at any time. Phone numbers and email addresses are at www.rsu34.org; information about how to connect to the meetings will be posted there next week. Together, we will continue doing our very best by kids and community as we navigate through the pandemic!

As a long school year comes to a close, it is time to begin the retrieval of student devices for inventory, repairs, and redistribution. You may drop off your device at any time (M-Th, 9am-2pm) for those that are no longer using their devices or have an alternative device and no longer need them. You may drop your device at OTES on the 8th from 9 am to 2 pm. From the 9th to the 11th of June, you are welcome to bring your device to the front door of J. A. Leonard Middle school between the hours of 9 am and 2 pm each day. Beginning on the 8th of June, there will be someone at OTHS to receive devices as the last week of school winds down and Seniors finish their preparations for graduation through the 12th of June. Also, staff from the elementary schools will be reaching out to families and making arrangements for those devices. Beginning the week of June 15th to the 19th, there will be someone from 8 am to 2 pm at each school to receive the remainder of devices. On the 22nd of June, an inventory will be done and phone calls will be made to coordinate drop off or pick up of any remaining devices. This will be done through the 26th of June.

Dear Families and Community Partners, Don’t miss out on this amazing webinar GEAR Parent Network is hosting. There is still time to sign up!!!! Wednesday, June 10, 2020 from 10 a.m. to Noon “School Work and COVID-19: What You Can Do to Help Your Kids to Not Fall Behind” Presented by: Elisa Sousa, MEd, LSW, Children’s Case Manager, Crisis and Counseling Centers; Join us in a discussion around your child’s school work, how to advocate, maintaining balance during this stressful time and creating structure for your family. In addition to learning about the importance of role modeling and listening to your children.

Parents/families of RSU #34 kids, if you haven't already done this survey please do. We value your input / feedback! Our families and educators have done amazing things with kids on an emergency basis this spring. Please let us know the strengths and challenges on this anonymous survey: https://forms.gle/hdJ4X7RseMUhHjdp9 Please do the survey by June 3rd. Thanks!