September 3, 2021
Dear Students, Parents, and Staff,
First this is to inform you that an individual associated with Maranacook High School recently tested positive for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) on Wednesday, September 1st. All close contacts have been notified. We are informing you out of an abundance of caution. Please monitor yourself/your student for signs and symptoms. Call a health care provider if symptoms start. It is important that you call a healthcare facility before you show up in person. Stay home if you are sick.
Second as a reminder our district has instituted universal masking. We appreciate your help in making sure your child has a mask that fits well and has a replacement on hand. We strive to have a variety of masks in our school offices to replace one from home, if need be. We have found that children who have well-fitting masks that come from home are best. Gator-type face coverings, given the guidance we have at this time, are not a suitable replacement for a standard mask.
As many of you are aware, transportation has been a major challenge for the district. We are making every effort possible to alleviate the challenges but acknowledge that more needs to be done. I’d like to take this opportunity to clarify that our goal is to get students to school and back home safely and timely. With that being said I would like to thank Mika Fit for their assistance this week. I am also happy to report that a temporary Driver for Bus #6 will be driving the regular route next week. Although we will continue to face challenges, the solution oriented assistance we received from board members, parents, community members and staff was gratefully appreciated.
Finally, we are strongly encouraging parents and students to review the COVID screener on a daily basis. If you feel unwell, reach out to the school nurse before the student is sent to school. If feeling unwell the best course of action is to stay home and seek medical advice. (As of this morning we have had 7 confirmed student cases this week, only 1 necessitated contact tracing due to the partial student week.) I am looking forward to a positive, energized school year but need everyone's support in what is still an uncertain time. Our goal is to keep schools open and students attending. Thank you for your support! Have a wonderful Labor Day weekend. Go Bears!
Sincerely,
James Charette
Superintendent of Schools