Public Information and Announcements

Link: https://bit.ly/3y2DGtN 

This year school is going to look much similar to pre-pandemic school than it did last year as MSAD 54 moves to return to many of the best practices we've used in the past. The linked letter includes many details including the requirement of masking for everyone in school to start the year. Below are a few of the practices we'll be returning to that are highlighted in the letter:

• All Students will be back in school every day this year PreK through grade 12. 
• We’ll be returning to more traditional schedules for students in each of our schools.  
• Masks will not be required outdoors, including no masks at recess, lessons outside, etc.  
• Co-Curricular groups will begin from day one. (clubs, activities, etc.) 
• Athletics and extra-curriculars will begin from day one. (Sports, Band, Chorus, etc.) 
• Spectators will be allowed at our events this fall. 
• Kids will move in school as they did before, transitioning between classrooms, at recess, etc.  
• Teaching will shift back to best practices that include small groups instruction, etc.  Kids will have more freedom to move throughout the classrooms and their grade levels. 
• Schools will again provide open houses and parent nights for students and parents.   
• Approved volunteers will again be allowed back in schools.  
• Title I programming and student interventions across grade-spans will return. 
• We will continue our trauma informed approach in schools including supports Pre K – 12.   
• We’ll be focusing even more on the social and emotional welfare of our students in all our schools/classrooms from day one, with expanded supports outside the classroom as well.

As part of our return to school we’ll continue to take steps to ensure the safety and well-being of our students. These measures include increased hygiene practices in all schools including:  

• The continued use of hand washing and hand sanitizers 
• The continued use of bottle-filling stations, touchless paper towel dispensers, etc.  
• Continued training on proper hygiene especially for our youngest learners 
• Providing three feet of distance when it is practical to do so (spacing when it makes sense) 
• Requiring masks for any visitor/volunteer in our schools regardless of their vaccination status 
• Limiting outside groups in our schools during the day whenever possible 
• In addition to an in-person option, allowing parents to participate in meetings remotely when it makes sense (parent teacher conferences, etc.) and when they choose to do so.   

Finally, we’ve made some significant advancements over the past year including using federal funds to purchase equipment and programs to benefit our students and our schools. Some of these things include:  

• Hiring additional staff to work with our students 
• Improving technology hardware (tablets and laptops) Pre-K through grade 12 
• Contracting with area social workers and clinical supports for those students who need them 
• Adding support staff including technology support and additional nursing staff in buildings 
• Implementing instructional Programs to support student learning (expanded library resources, student materials, See Saw, IXL, Zoom, etc.) 
• Utilizing trauma based practices and supports for students, families and staff in need 
• Offering interventions, after-school programming and child-care, tutoring, and summer programming 
• Improving classroom instructional tools including interactive boards and other resources 
• And providing additional professional development and support for our teachers.

For further information please review the full letter at: https://bit.ly/3y2DGtN

If your child is unable to attend in-person learning and would like a remote option, you should complete this form: https://forms.gle/XxYdV2nvPkdo2FpT8

Please also take a moment to share your thoughts in the following survey: https://forms.gle/XxYdV2nvPkdo2FpT8

Should you have any other questions don't hesitate to give us a call at school.

Thank you,
MSAD 54

On September 1st of 2021 we will be opening school, and for the first time in two years, we’ll be welcoming ALL of our nearly 2400 students back into our schools together at one time.

Since the beginning, our focus and priority has been to get our kids back in school safely, to keep them in school and moving forward in their learning. For this reason, based on all of the guidance and evidence I have reviewed and the unanimous agreement of our building administrators, I am going to recommend we begin school having everyone mask, even those individuals who have been fully vaccinated. We view this as a temporary necessary move based on the Delta variant and its potential impact to schools.

I would recommend reviewing this decision beginning the second Board meeting of October, and continuing monthly through the year. I’m in hopes that as was the case last year, things will change and improve, and we’ll ultimately be able to move away from universal masking later this year.

Respectfully,

Jon Moody Superintendent of Schools

Dear MSAD 54 Parents, Guardians, Students, and Community,

I hope that you have had the opportunity to enjoy the beautiful Maine summer and hopefully some rejuvenating time with family and friends. Here at school we’ve been hard at work preparing for the upcoming school year and what we hope will be a return to school that looks far more like it did in the past. The goal of this letter is to provide you with a brief update of where things stand nationally, and with our state, and how MSAD 54 is going to approach returning to school on September 1st.

Every year, MSAD 54 invites the public to review the Title I program. This year we are inviting the public to review and comment on MSAD 54’s ESEA application for the school year 2021-2022 at the Mill Stream Elementary School from 1pm–2pm on Thursday, July 22nd. MSAD 54 accepts funding through the Elementary and Secondary Act (ESEA) of 1965. As part of ESEA, MSAD 54 is required to provide opportunities for public comment on the ESEA application prior to submission. If you have any questions feel free to contact Erin Madore, Title I Director at 474-9508 or emadore@msad54.org.

MSAD 54 Superintendent Jonathan Moody met with the State Board of Education on July 14th. The committee unanimously supported approval of the Margaret Chase Smith Site for MSAD 54's building project and approved the process to move forward. For a complete view of the DOE building process visit: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1oVXPMm64qdNeQ6_jwRhzD66JM4PrFKTD/view

For agenda and minutes visit: https://www.maine.gov/doe/about/leadership/stateboard/meetings/upcoming…

DOE Exhibit: https://www.maine.gov/doe/sites/maine.gov.doe/files/inline-files/RSU54%…

The next MSAD 54 Building Committee meeting is slated for August 18th, at 6:00 in the SAMS Cafeteria.

MSAD 54 is sharing their federal Funding Plan for the American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds and our effort to complete projects allowing the district to return to full-time in-person instruction for students during the 2021-22 school year. An informational hearing is being held in the Middle School Cafeteria on August 12th, at 6:00 p.m. Additionally, anyone can submit feedback on the plan and the use of federal funds by emailing feedback@msad54.org or calling Superintendent Moody at 474-9508 at any time.

MSAD 54 has used previous federal funds to support the following efforts: 

• increasing student access to school (hotspots, staffing, resources, etc.)
• providing food and resources to students who are not in school (bus delivery to homes, remote pickup, equipment, etc.)
• providing safe environments for learning (sanitizer, plexiglass, etc.)
• increasing district air quality (improving air handling systems, improved control systems, etc.)
• increased access to instructional technology for students (purchasing of laptops/tablets K-12, headphones, etc.)
• increased instructional technology for staff (classroom promethean boards, laptops, iPads, headsets, projectors, etc.)
• providing personal protective equipment for staff & students (PPE, masks, shields, gowns, gloves, etc.)
• providing programs and support for learning (LMS - Schoology, See Saw, Zoom, etc.)
• providing staff professional development & collaborative planning for remediation (additional hours for staff PD, intervention planning, etc.).
• hiring additional staff to support students (teachers, duty/support staff, interventionists, counselors, etc.)
• hiring additional staff to support programming and operations (nursing staff, technology staff, etc.)
• upgrade communication tools (signage, software, etc.)
• support for COVID-19 expenses (cleaning, legal fees, etc.)
• purchase additional busses and vans to transport students and deliver food.
• purchase additional classroom supplies to support in-person instruction with social distancing.
• purchase additional storage space and outdoor learning spaces. 

Future Federal Funds will support projects including the continued support for most of the projects listed above as well as:

• building improvements to improve air quality (CES ventilation, wiring, windows; BES windows and ventilation, etc.)
• building improvements/addition to support social distancing (NEL Portable - additional Pre-K, SAMS Addition - move all 6th grade to SAMS and add additional Pre-K at CES and MSES, etc.)
• network improvements and digital access (new network infrastructure for all MSAD 54 schools).
• additional after-school programming to support students (CES, MSES)
• additional office support to manage federal projects/federal funds
• additional projects to support student learning, access to food, and other pandemic related student and staff supports.  

MSAD 54 Superintendent Jonathan Moody and Support Services Manager David Leavitt were joined by engineer Andy Johnston of Atlantic Resource Consultants, and Architect Pat Carroll of Carroll Associates Landscape Architects in a meeting with the State School Construction Committee. The team presented MSAD 54's project and answered questions from the committee. The Committee unanimously supported the MSAD 54 Project Site Selection of the Margaret Chase Smith School site and commended the district for their work. The next step in the process is to meet with the State Board of Education on July 14th.

For full committee minutes visit: https://www.maine.gov/doe/about/leadership/stateboard/construction

View DOE Exhibit
https://www.maine.gov/doe/sites/maine.gov.doe/files/inline-files/RSU54%…