December 1, 2021
Dear Staff, Students, and Families:
This letter is to inform you that Maranacook Community Middle School and Wayne Elementary School will be moving to remote learning Thursday (12/02) and Friday (12/03).
The district has seen a dramatic uptick in positive cases. We have had 21 positive student cases across our school buildings in the past 3 days. Most student cases have required minimal or no contact tracing. The cases today at Wayne Elementary and the Middle School will. Contact tracing is ongoing at this point and we will continue contacting students and families throughout the afternoon and early evening. (Close contact information will be provided at the end of the week due to the rapidly evolving case situation.)
We highly recommend any designated close contacts linked to these cases consider getting a PCR COVID-19 test per the guidance outlined by our school nurses.
COVID-19 is a respiratory illness that ranges from mild to severe. It can be more severe in adults 60 years and older and in those with underlying conditions. The virus mainly spreads when an infected person coughs or sneezes and an uninfected person breathes in the virus. Signs and symptoms include:
fever or chills • new loss of taste or smell
cough • sore throat
shortness of breath or difficulty breathing • congestion or runny nose
fatigue • nausea or vomiting
muscle or body aches • diarrhea
headache
Please keep in mind that many things can cause respiratory illness, so students and staff should be up-to-date on influenza and routine vaccinations. Close contacts who are unvaccinated will be asked to quarantine from school for 10-full-days from last exposure to the positive individual. All unvaccinated close contacts will be asked to quarantine from non-school activities as well. A negative test result does not get an individual out of quarantine.
Maine CDC recommends prevention measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19. These measures include proper hand washing with soap and warm water, which is especially important after using the bathroom, before eating, and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing. When soap and water is not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60 percent alcohol. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands and avoid close contact with people who are sick. Stay home while you are sick and avoid close contact with others. Wear a cloth face covering in public indoor spaces, especially if you are not vaccinated. Cloth face coverings are recommended in schools and childcare settings for people over 5 years of age. Get a COVID-19 vaccine when it is available to you. When in public, avoid social distances of less than 6 feet and direct physical contact.
Questions can be directed to Kristen Levesque, the principal of Maranacook Community Middle School or Tina Brackley, the principal of Wayne Elementary School or the school nurses by calling the following number 685-4923 (Middle School) or 685-3636 (Wayne Elementary). For general COVID-19 questions, dial 211 (or 1-866-811-5695). You can also text your ZIP code to 898-211 or email info@211maine.org. Call a health care provider for questions about your symptoms. More information can be found at www.maine.gov/dhhs/coronavirus or www.cdc.gov/coronavirus.
Sincerely,
James Charette, Superintendent