RSU 34 -

Winter Holiday Contact Tracing Adjustments ================================== RSU #34 will adjust contact tracing procedures for the duration of the school holiday, in order to meet CDC guidance while recognizing that many families and staff will be hard to reach. If we learn of a positive case of COVID-19 in our school community, we will continue to trace back to their previous 48 hours to identify close contacts at our schools and on school buses. Please note that 48 hours after school/busing ends on Wednesday extends well into December 24th, Christmas Eve. We will rely on email notification to get the word out to close contacts; if your contact information has changed please be sure to promptly notify your school office. Because less information will be available than typical, we anticipate that we will be sending some messages advising that children/staff “may have been close contacts” –reminding families of symptoms to watch for and recommending testing. We will not have staff available over the holiday to provide advice for specific children’s circumstances; please use the information available through the Maine CDC’s website (links below) and contact your primary care provider with questions. Please use our COVID hotline to report positive cases of COVID-19 (827-7171 ext. zero). The school offices’ and nurses’ phone/email inboxes may not be checked until school resumes in January. If you are involved in an extra-curricular activity that meets during the holiday, please also be sure to promptly inform the coaches and athletic director. With COVID spread in Penobscot County and in Maine extremely high, contact tracing incidents are a daily occurrence. We urge our school community to continue conducting daily home screening before students get on the bus or attend school, and we urge our school community to continue erring on the side of caution. If you do learn of a positive case, please let us know promptly. We have seen repeatedly and first hand in our community how sneaky a disease COVID-19 is, causing no or minor symptoms for some, while devasting or ending the lives of others. Please keep helping our community, and our overwhelmed hospitals, by acting with an abundance of caution. ============================= Maine CDC Website: https://www.maine.gov/dhhs/mecdc/infectious-disease/epi/airborne/coronavirus/index.shtml What to do if you have COVID-19: https://www.maine.gov/dhhs/mecdc/infectious-disease/epi/airborne/documents/Isolation-CO.pdf What does quarantine mean? https://www.maine.gov/dhhs/mecdc/infectious-disease/epi/airborne/documents/Quarantine-CO-v2.pdf Where can you go to get tested? https://www.maine.gov/covid19/testing

Many thanks to our partners at Penobscot Community Health Care, and our staff and student volunteers who helped us put on a successful vaccination clinic last night! Those students who received a second dose last night can count down the 14 days until they're considered fully vaccinated! Those who received a first dose last night can seek a second dose after three weeks. Many local pharmacies and doctor's offices can provide this: https://www.maine.gov/covid19/vaccines/vaccination-sites

The US Dept. of Education is offering a webinar about the COVID vaccine for ages 5-11. Please see more information below. If you would like to sign your child up for our upcoming evening COVID vaccine clinic, please contact your school office. WEBINAR: COVID-19 Vaccines for School-Aged Children: What Parents and Families Should Know Please join the U.S. Department of Education and National Association for Family, School and Community Engagement for an informational webinar following the approval of the Pfizer-BioNTech age 5-11 vaccine. Thursday, December 9, 2021 At 8:00PM EST This is a such special time of year, and this year, we all have one more thing to be grateful for: Kids ages 5 to 11 are now eligible to get vaccinated. The vaccine is safe and effective, specifically formulated for young kids. And getting your child vaccinated is the best way to keep them safe from COVID, including the Delta variant. This is great news for parents and families. During the webinar, esteemed panelists including United States Deputy Secretary of Education Cindy Marten along with representatives from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Pediatrics will address common concerns and worries among parents and families about the COVID-19 vaccine for their child(ren) ages 5-11. Parents are invited to submit questions about the vaccine on the registration form. Pre-submitted questions will help plan the content of the session. Time will also be reserved for live questions and answers at the end of the event. Register in advance for this meeting here! https://maine.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=a582edd6473e477ef6307c769&id=2bf870595a&e=86e6eca0a1 After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. For further information please contact cdchealthyschools@cdc.gov or visit https://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/

The US Department of Education is offering a free informational webinar about the COVID-19 vaccine for ages 5-11; please see more information and a registration link below. If you would like for your child to receive the COVID vaccine at our upcoming evening clinic, please contact your school office. WEBINAR: COVID-19 Vaccines for School-Aged Children: What Parents and Families Should Know Please join the U.S. Department of Education and National Association for Family, School and Community Engagement for an informational webinar following the approval of the Pfizer-BioNTech age 5-11 vaccine. Thursday, December 9, 2021 At 8:00PM EST This is a such special time of year, and this year, we all have one more thing to be grateful for: Kids ages 5 to 11 are now eligible to get vaccinated. The vaccine is safe and effective, specifically formulated for young kids. And getting your child vaccinated is the best way to keep them safe from COVID, including the Delta variant. This is great news for parents and families. During the webinar, esteemed panelists including United States Deputy Secretary of Education Cindy Marten along with representatives from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Pediatrics will address common concerns and worries among parents and families about the COVID-19 vaccine for their child(ren) ages 5-11. Parents are invited to submit questions about the vaccine on the registration form. Pre-submitted questions will help plan the content of the session. Time will also be reserved for live questions and answers at the end of the event. Register in advance for this meeting here! https://maine.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=a582edd6473e477ef6307c769&id=2bf870595a&e=7cc548ab39 After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. For further information please contact cdchealthyschools@cdc.gov or visit https://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/

We hope all had a very happy Thanksgiving, and we look forward to welcoming our students back on Monday! Please remember to carefully screen for COVID symptoms/exposures before getting on the bus or attending school in the morning.

Many thanks to our community partner, Penobscot Community Health Care, and to our staff and student volunteers who worked together to put on a great vaccination clinic this evening! If you missed out on the clinic tonight and seek vaccination (ages 5 & up), you can find appointments through many pharmacies, grocery store pharmacies, and through your primary care provider. We will hold our follow-up clinic in three weeks so tonight's 5-11 year old participants can receive their second dose.

What's Going On In Your Child's Brain When You Read Them a Story? https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/51281/whats-going-on-in-your-childs-brain-when-you-read-them-a-story?fbclid=IwAR1hbk4W8LF-0Dg6vg6qUMDAa454XuZIcbwJx_sFcnOj_D-BpsNQuAJzQgQ

RSU #34 and Penobscot Community Health Care are partnering to offer COVID-19 vaccination clinics for 5-11 year olds. The clinic is open to our students, OTO-YMCA, and other local schools. The first dose is Thursday November 18th, at an after-school clinic hosted at Old Town High School. Parents/caregivers must accompany the child, and signed consent is required. Two weeks after the second dose, the child is considered fully vaccinated and will be exempt from quarantine in almost all circumstances! An electronic version of the flyer and consent forms can be found at this link: https://5il.co/11vqa Here are some resources that you may wish to check out to learn more about the vaccine. With specific questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to your child's primary care provider or your school nurse: https://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/COVID-19/Pages/The-Science-Behind-the-COVID-19-Vaccine-Parent-FAQs.aspx https://healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/COVID-19/Pages/Getting-Your-Child-Ready-for-the-COVID-19-Vaccine.aspx

RSU #34 and Penobscot Community Health Care are partnering to offer COVID-19 vaccination clinics for our 5-11 year olds. The first dose is Thursday November 18th, at an after-school clinic hosted at Old Town High School. Parents/caregivers must accompany the child, and signed consent is required. Two weeks after the second dose, the child is considered fully vaccinated and will be exempt from quarantine in almost all circumstances! We will soon be sending home paper copies of the flyer and consent forms; an electronic version can be found at this link: https://5il.co/11n37 Here are some resources that you may wish to check out to learn more about the vaccine. With specific questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to your child's primary care provider or your school nurse: https://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/COVID-19/Pages/The-Science-Behind-the-COVID-19-Vaccine-Parent-FAQs.aspx https://healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/COVID-19/Pages/Getting-Your-Child-Ready-for-the-COVID-19-Vaccine.aspx

Save the date! RSU #34 is partnering with Penobscot Community Health Care to offer a COVID vaccination clinic for our 5-11 year olds. It will occur on Thursday November 18th, outside of school hours, and parents/guardians must accompany the child. We will share more information as details fall into place.

SUBJECT: WINTER WEATHER AND SCHOOL Regional School Unit No. 34 maintains a policy of keeping school in session under all conditions; except when weather and road conditions are hazardous and therefore jeopardizing student safety. In general, when bus schedules are disrupted due to road conditions, schools will not be in session. Regardless of our decision to open or not open schools, we respect the right of parents to make the decision not to send your child(ren) to school when you feel their safety is at risk due to travel conditions. In these cases, the absence will be excused when we receive a note from you stating you chose to keep your child at home for safety reasons. NO-SCHOOL announcements will be made using our Emergency Notification system and posted on our website www.rsu34.org. We will also notify area television stations that accept early morning school closing notifications. Under most circumstances children are kept in school for the full day once they have reported to school. Early dismissal of students would occur only when weather conditions would appear to be too hazardous to remain the full day, loss of power for an extended period or when travel conditions are predicted to significantly worsen prior to normal dismissal times. In this case, students would be dismissed early. Parents who are not at home during the day should make early dismissal plans for their child(ren) and make the school aware of these emergency plans. Advance planning for a neighbor, friend or family member to care for your child(ren) if they are dismissed early is critical. We may also delay the start of school if travel conditions so warrant. This too might require advance planning on your part if your child(ren) are not boarding the bus at their usual time and/or the school is not open to accept students until a later time. I STRONGLY URGE all parents to make plans in advance before the winter season. Feel free to call my office (827-7171) or any of the school offices if you have questions or if we can assist you with making plans for your child(ren). The safety and wellbeing of your child(ren) is most important to us. David A. Walker Superintendent of Schools

Job Opening at RSU #34 and Old Town-Orono YMCA “River Runners Cohort Leader” The Old Town-Orono YMCA and RSU #34 seek a Cohort Leader for River Runners. River Runners is a nonprofit mentoring program funded by a long-term grant from the Lerner Foundation that connects young people to caring adults. The Cohort Leader will be a highly self-motivated person, who will work with the Program Director to implement and develop an innovative and effective program that builds youth aspirations utilizing individual and cohort programming, community organizations, school and YMCA resources, and other partnerships. Qualified candidates will have the ability to meet students where they are and provide them with the necessary tools to allow them to pursue interests and achieve goals that without River Runners likely wouldn’t be possible. The Cohort Leader will be an employee of the Old Town-Orono YMCA but will work collaboratively with and be required to report program data to RSU #34 and the YMCA. They also will complete necessary documentation for the Lerner Foundation and other applicable reporting agencies. For a complete job description please see https://goo.gl/Xw4FaK or email info@otoymca.org Internal Candidates: Please apply by email at info@otoymca.org. Please include cover letter, resume and four professional references. Complete applications only; applications are being reviewed on a rolling basis as they are received. For external candidates: Please apply by email at info@otoymca.org. Please include cover letter, resume and four professional references. Complete applications only; applications are being reviewed on a rolling basis as they are received.

Much thanks to our local Scout Troop #76! The troop made 15 color-coded vial holders for us. These will be a big help to us as we continue our weekly pooled testing, working to keep kids in school and our school community safe! Parents must provide consent for their children to participate; learn more here: tinyurl.com/yhll3f8t

Helping Maine’s Low and No-Income Families Get the 2021 Advance Child Tax Credit Payments The IRS invites you to attend an Advance Child Tax Credit information session to learn about the Advance Child Tax Credit. Information provided will include: • Eligibility requirements for the Advance Child Tax Credit • Information on the IRS Update Portal, where those eligible can: - Check if they are enrolled to receive advance payments - Unenroll to stop getting advance payments - Provide or update bank account information for monthly payments • Information on the IRS Non-Filer Portal, where those not required to file a tax return can provide their information to determine eligibility and request advance payments. There will also be a question and answer section. The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 has brought about many tax changes and benefits. This information session will focus on the Advance Child Tax Credit, which may be available to many families. There are three different sessions to accommodate your schedule, with one presentation in English and two in Spanish. Everyone is welcome to attend. FREE events via Zoom October 7, 2021 (English) 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Join the Zoom meeting by clicking on the link: Join the meeting (Ctrl+Click on link). Or you can join the audio portion only by dialing: 669-254-5252, Meeting ID#:161 794 5976 October 4, 2021 (Spanish) 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Join the Zoom meeting by clicking on this link: Join the meeting (Ctrl+Click on link). Or you can join the audio portion only by dialing: 669-254-5252, Meeting ID#: 161 961 6907 October 12, 2021 (Spanish) 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 .p.m. Join the Zoom meeting by clicking on this link: Join the meeting (Ctrl+Click on link). Or you can join the audio portion only by dialing: 669-254-5252, Meeting ID#: 160 980 4167

If you'd like to sign your child up for pooled testing in RSU #34, the info is below! Pooled testing is a great way to keep more of our students out of quarantine and learning in-person. Participating in pooled testing is optional, and parents must give consent. Pooled testing is a once a week, gentle nasal swab that kids do themselves. Participants qualify for one of the four quarantine exceptions in Maine's Standard Operating Procedure for schools. Each school has a different access code and if you have multiple children, you'll need to repeat the quick process for each child. To give consent for a student to participate in optional pooled testing, start here: http://testcenter.concentricbyginkgo.com//minor-consent PLEASE BE SURE TO ENTER THE CODE FOR THE CORRECT SCHOOL. Alton Elementary School: PJDN15 Viola Rand Elementary School (Bradley): H52L8P Old Town Elementary School: Z1A0SE (note: the fourth character is a zero, not a capital o) Leonard Middle School: O9T2Y0 (the letter o at the beginning, zero at the end) Old Town High School: X67ZUZ You’ll answer a few questions and can give your consent online. No paper needed! If you need a paper copy of the consent, or if the student has reached age 18, please contact your child’s school.

Job Opening at RSU #34 and Old Town-Orono YMCA “River Runners Cohort Leader” The Old Town-Orono YMCA and RSU #34 seek a Cohort Leader for River Runners. River Runners is a nonprofit mentoring program funded by a long-term grant from the Lerner Foundation that connects young people to caring adults. The Cohort Leader will be a highly self-motivated person, who will work with the Program Director to implement and develop an innovative and effective program that builds youth aspirations utilizing individual and cohort programming, community organizations, school and YMCA resources, and other partnerships. Qualified candidates will have the ability to meet students where they are and provide them with the necessary tools to allow them to pursue interests and achieve goals that without River Runners likely wouldn’t be possible. The Cohort Leader will be an employee of the Old Town-Orono YMCA but will work collaboratively with and be required to report program data to RSU #34 and the YMCA. They also will complete necessary documentation for the Lerner Foundation and other applicable reporting agencies. For a complete job description please see https://goo.gl/Xw4FaK or email info@otoymca.org Internal Candidates: Please apply by email at info@otoymca.org. Please include cover letter, resume and four professional references. Complete applications only; applications are being reviewed on a rolling basis as they are received. For external candidates: Please apply by email at info@otoymca.org. Please include cover letter, resume and four professional references. Complete applications only; applications are being reviewed on a rolling basis as they are received.

PREP – Penobscot River Educational Partnership presents a parent and educator session on healthy friendships Thursday, October 21st, 6 p.m. Healthy Friendships: Your Questions Answered Dr. Lauren Holleb, Licensed Psychologist, Certified Parent-Child Interaction Therapy Provider, University of Maine at Augusta Assistant Professor of Mental Health and Human Services 55 mins. via Zoom This session will provide an overview of friendship and peer acceptance during childhood and adolescence, discuss its importance to socio-emotional adjustment and well-being, and ways that parent(s)/guardian(s) can identify and help students who may be struggling socially. The session will provide an evidence-based discussion of friendship, aspects of friendship that afford risk and resilience, how friendships differ based on sex and developmental level, and practical ideas for how to handle social challenges. 6-6:55 p.m., Thursday, October 21st Link: https://maine.zoom.us/j/81063264604?pwd=TFlHTkFzb3pvTXE0RXExVTRtNmh6dz09 Password: 156787

RSU #34 is in the final stages of developing its funding application under the American Rescue Plan, which is due September 29th. We appreciate all of those who have provided input and feedback via our school board meetings, web survey, and the public input/discussion session we held earlier in September. The final application is being constructed to support the use of funds identified through that input/feedback, making adjustments as needed to fit within grant allowability and the total grant allocation. In some cases some proposals that do not fit with ARP/ESSER are being referred to the local budgeting process for 2022-2023. To provide further feedback, please contact Dr. Doty: Jon.Doty@rsu34.org Priority areas & use of funds: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1aidGd8404fGpdjc2FhbDy1xI2bX2uUfcbrjpz1vLwo/edit#slide=id.gef11ac6be60_0

***Pooled Testing Update in RSU #34 Schools*** We received some much-needed supplies on Friday, and today we're setting up to greatly expand our pooled testing next week! Pooled testing will be a great way to keep more of our students out of quarantine and learning in-person. Participating in pooled testing is optional, and parents must give consent. Pooled testing is a once a week, gentle nasal swab that kids do themselves. Participants qualify for one of the four quarantine exceptions in Maine's Standard Operating Procedure for schools. If you'd like to sign your child up, or for more information, click here: tinyurl.com/yhll3f8t The week of September 20th we will greatly expand our pooled testing, but know we don't yet have the supplies to test 100% of those who've given consent. We hope supplies keep coming in, especially the rapid follow-up tests that are in short supply everywhere, so we can expand to everyone who's given consent in future weeks. Thanks for your patience - we can't wait to be at full capacity with this either!

Old Town High School Students will be transitioned to Remote Learning for two days, Thursday and Friday September 16-17. The move to Remote Learning is in response to positive Covid cases and a large number of close contacts. If you or your student are identified as a close contact, you will be contacted by OTHS staff.