TO: RSU 63 PARENTS

FROM:  SUSAN SMITH, SUPERINTENDENT/DIRECTOR of CURRICULUM & INSTR.

RE:  SNOW DAYS and NOVEMBER 12^th

DATE:  OCTOBER 30, 2020

Green Schedule:  Our first week with all grade levels (PreK – Grade 8) following our green schedule has gone well.  Our staff has worked hard to come up with many creative solutions for instructing students 6 feet apart.  We anticipate we will be “all green” again next week (November 2 – 6) and are excited about seeing our students more frequently.  Please follow the Maine CDC guidelines and help our kids stay in school!   

Snow Days:  As winter storms start heading our way, snow day decisions will be handled similar to past years.  Travel and safety considerations will be a priority.  Additionally, many snow days include power and internet outages.  Holding remote instruction would likely leave some students and households out of the day’s learning. 

You will receive the same notifications we have used in the past when we announce a snow day, either the evening beforehand (when a storm seems both large in size and certain to hit us) or, more typically, early morning of the actual snow day itself.

Thursday, November 12th:  Holbrook All Remote

Holbrook students and staff will be all remote both Thursday, November 12^th and Friday, November 13^th.  These two days, in combination with Veterans Day on Wednesday, November 11^th, will provide time for an asbestos abatement company to remove tile in one of our Holbrook classrooms.  The classroom is not currently being used and we are looking forward to getting the instructional space back.

On Thursday, November 12^th, Holbrook students will follow the RED schedule.  That schedule will be provided by our teachers through our Sunday evening email process.  Thursday, Nov. 12^th will include morning meetings as well as instruction through Google Meet video conferencing for all our Holbrook students.  On Friday November 13^th, we will follow our typical remote Friday schedule. 

Thank you very much for your support and patience as we work together to educate our students.

TO: RSU 63 PARENTS

FROM:  SUSAN SMITH, SUPERINTENDENT/DIRECTOR of CURRICULUM & INSTR.

RE:  SCHEDULE FOR THE WEEK OF OCTOBER 26-30

DATE:  OCTOBER 23, 2020

Monday, October 26th:  Grade 8 Green

Students in Grade 8 will begin following the Green schedule on Monday, October 26^th.   

Monday, October 26^th through Thursday, October 29^th:  We decided to take advantage of already having a different schedule this week (due to Parent-Teacher Conferences).  Our teachers have planned some special activities and lessons for students at all three schools. 

Thursday, October 29^th:  Early Release Day

Holbrook School:
If the student’s last name begins with A-L, pick-up at Holbrook starts at 12:00.
If the student’s last name begins with M-Z, pick-up at Holbrook starts at 12:10.

Eddington and Holden Schools: 

Parents can pick up students from the Eddington and Holden Schools at 11:45am until 12:15pm. 

Friday, October 30^th:  No School for Students.  Friday is not a school day.  There will NOT be morning meeting or remote assignments/lessons due. 

Parent-Teacher Conferences Schedule:

3:30pm – 6:00pm Wednesday, October 28^th

12:30pm – 6:00pm Thursday, October 29^th

8:00am – 3:00pm for PreK and Grades 6, 7, and 8 on Friday, October 30^th

8:00am – 12:00pm for Kindergarten through Grade 5 on Friday, October 30^th.

TO: RSU 63 PARENTS

FROM:  SUSAN SMITH, SUPERINTENDENT/DIRECTOR of CURRICULUM & INSTR.

RE:  SCREENING and UPDATE

DATE:  OCTOBER 16, 2020

Thank you for following the health rules and helping Penobscot County continue to stay “green!”  Maine DOE has updated the  Pre-screening Tool for School Attendance.  Please continue conducting self-checks for COVID-19 symptoms prior to boarding buses or entering school buildings each day.  If you have any questions, please contact our school nurse Dawna Bickford at dbickford@rsu63.org or through the school secretaries.

• Eddington (PreK, K, and Grade 1): Tina Ferrill   tferrill@rsu63.org   843-6010
• Holden (Grades 2, 3, and 4): Heather Kiley hkiley@rsu63.org   843-7828
• Holbrook (Grades 5, 6, 7, & 8): Karen Everhart   keverhart@rsu63.org   843-7769

 Monday, October 19th:  Grade 7

Students in Grade 7 will begin following the Green schedule starting Monday, October 19^th.

Monday, October 26th:  Grade 8

If Maine CDC and DOE’s categorization for Penobscot County continues to remain Green and local health conditions stay good, students in Grade 8 will begin following the Green schedule on Monday, October 26^th.  Please Note:  In order to move Grade 8 to the Green schedule, we need to make several changes in homeroom assignments. 

TO: RSU 63 PARENTS

FROM:  SUSAN SMITH, SUPERINTENDENT/DIRECTOR of CURRICULUM & INSTR.

RE:  GOING GREEN UPDATE

DATE:  OCTOBER 9, 2020

Legs for desks arrived! Our custodians and bus drivers are busy moving furniture today.   While we still have work to do, we now have a tentative timeline for Grades 7 and 8 to “go green.” 

Students whose families chose the All Remote Option will remain remote.

Coming to school by car is the safest option during the Covid-19 pandemic.  Please keep in mind that we cannot over-crowd our buses.  We encourage parents to continue to drop off and pick up students.  Our bus schedules may need to change as we move to having more students at school more frequently.  If your child does need to start riding the bus, please contact our Transportation Director, Jake Morgan, at jmorgan@rsu63.org or 561-9238. 

Holbrook Parents: Please help us keep traffic from backing up onto Rt. 46 by staggering afternoon pick-up at Holbrook.

• If the student’s last name begins with A-L, pick-up at Holbrook starts at 2:50.
• If the student’s last name begins with M-Z, pick-up at Holbrook starts at 3:00.
• It would be better to arrive at Holbrook a little later in the afternoon than earlier. Staff members are scheduled to supervise students waiting for pick-up at Holbrook until 3:30. 

Tuesday, October 13th:  Grade 6

If Maine CDC and DOE’s categorization for Penobscot County continues to remain Green and local health conditions stay good, students in Grade 6 will begin following the Green schedule starting Tuesday, October 13^th.

Monday, October 19th:  Grade 7

If Maine CDC and DOE’s categorization for Penobscot County continues to remain Green, local health conditions stay good, students in Grade 7 will begin following the Green schedule starting Monday, October 19^th.

Monday, October 26th:  Grade 8

If Maine CDC and DOE’s categorization for Penobscot County continues to remain Green and local health conditions stay good, students in Grade 8 will begin following the Green schedule starting Monday, October 26^th.

Parents of Students in Grade 8 - Please Note:  In order to move Grade 8 to the “Green” schedule, we need to make several changes in homeroom assignments. 

In order to move all grades to the Green schedule, our staff has worked hard to find solutions to many challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.  Thank you for your continued patience as we work together to safely support our students and staff.

TO: RSU 63 PARENTS

FROM:  SUSAN SMITH, SUPERINTENDENT/DIRECTOR of CURRICULUM & INSTR.

RE:  MOVING TO GREEN SCHEDULE UPDATE

DATE:  OCTOBER 1, 2020

This is truly a stressful time for everyone.  Thank you for working with us as we do our best to keep our students and staff healthy.

Coming to school by car is the safest option during the Covid-19 pandemic.   We want transportation to continue to be as safe as we can make it.  If your child needs to start riding the bus, please contact our Transportation Director Jake Morgan at jmorgan@rsu63.org or 561-9238.

Please help us stagger afternoon pick-up times at Holden and Holbrook.

• If the student’s last name begins with A-M, please pick-up at Holden starting at 2:30 and at Holbrook starting at 2:50.
• If the student’s last name begins with N-Z, please pick-up at Holden starting at 2:45 and at Holbrook starting at 3:05.

Monday, October 5th:  Pre-Kindergarten and Grade 4

Assuming Maine CDC and DOE’s categorization for Penobscot County continues to remain Green, students in Grade 4 will join Kindergarten through Grade 5 in following the Green schedule starting Monday, October 5^th.

Students in Pre-Kindergarten will also begin following the Green PreK schedule starting on Monday, October 5^th.  Pre-K students will attend school two full days per week (Mon/Wed or Tues/Thurs).  

Students who chose the all Remote Option will remain remote.

Tuesday, October 13th:  Grade 6

If Maine CDC and DOE’s categorization for Penobscot County continues to remain Green and local health conditions stay good, students in Grade 6 will begin following the Green schedule starting Tuesday, October 13^th.

Parents of Students in Grades 6, 7, and 8 - Please Note:  In order to move to the “Green” schedule for students in Grades 6, 7, and 8, we need to make some changes in homeroom assignments. 

Grades 7 and 8:  As we make sure we can safely maintain physical distancing requirements for students in Grades 7 and 8, there are several challenges we are working to overcome before we can move to the Green schedule.  These include the number of students in Grade 7 and Grade 8, the size of our classrooms, desks that have not arrived, and transportation.  Our staff is working hard to find solutions to these obstacles.  Thank you for your patience.  We will keep you posted and share more information as soon as we can.

SRRF Bond Hearing

Help RSU 63 Improve Our Indoor Air Quality and Energy Efficiency!

Public Hearing Tuesday, October 13th

6:00pm

Holbrook Middle School

(or join by phone +1 319-343-8714 PIN: 546 643 919#)

Public Vote: November 3rd Clifton, Eddington, and Holden Town Offices or through absentee ballot

Proper ventilation is important for health and learning. RSU 63 is not currently in violation of any specific air quality codes. However, the unit ventilators, heating, and ventilation systems at the Holbrook, Holden, and Eddington Schools are at the end of their useful life.

RSU 63 has qualified for $1,304,278 from the state and a 10-year interest free loan for $1,368,972 in order to install new fan coil units, heating and ventilation units, and Direct Digital Control systems. These will improve our indoor air quality, control building temperatures, and maintain lower carbon dioxide levels at all three schools.

To learn more, please attend the Public Hearing Tuesday, October 13th 6:00pm Holbrook Middle School

KINDERGARTEN and GRADE 2 MOVING TO GREEN SCHEDULE SEPTEMBER 28th

Thank you for following CDC guidance and our new procedures at school.  We appreciate your help keeping our students, staff, and county healthy and our students at school.  Maine CDC and DOE’s categorization for Penobscot County continues to remain Green meaning

“the county has a relatively low risk of COVID-19 spread and that schools may consider in-person instruction, as long as they are able to implement the required health and safety measures.  Schools in a “green” county may need to use hybrid instruction models if there is insufficient capacity or other factors (facilities, staffing, geography/transportation, etc.) that may prevent full implementation of the health and safety requirements.”

Our staff has worked hard this week to make sure we fully implement the health and safety requirements as we moved Grades 1, 3, and 5 to the Green schedule.  

Monday, September 28th:  Students in Kindergarten and Grade 2 can join Grades 1, 3, and 5 and follow our Green schedule; attending school 4 days per week, with Friday being remote.  Students who chose the all Remote Option will remain remote.

In order to continue increasing the number of students at-school each day, we need your help. 

·      Coming to school by car is the safest option at this time and we want transportation to continue to be safe.  We are making adjustments to our afternoon pick-ups.  The traffic pattern will be slightly different in the afternoon at the Eddington School and the Holden School. 

·      If at all possible, please help us stagger pick-up times at Holden and Holbrook.

o   If the student’s last name begins with A-M, please pick-up at Holden starting at 2:30 and at Holbrook starting at 2:50.

o   If the student’s last name begins with N-Z, please pick-up at Holden starting at 2:45 and at Holbrook starting at 3:05. 

·      When you are out and about, please help your child practice physical distancing by reminding them if they can reach out and touch someone, they are too close.

·      When you are out and about, please help your child practice wearing a face covering that meets the definition from Gov. Mills’ Executive Order. “Cloth Face Covering is a protection that covers the nose and mouth; fits snugly but comfortably against the side of the face; is secured with ties or ear loops; has multiple layers of fabric; allows for breathing without restriction; and is able to be laundered and machine dried without damage or change to its shape.”

Monday, October 5th:  Pre-Kindergarten and Grade 4
Assuming things continue to go well, and Penobscot County stays Green, we anticipate students in Grade 4 joining Kindergarten through Grade 5 following the Green schedule; attending school 4 days per week, with Friday being remote.  Students in Pre-Kindergarten will also begin following the Green schedule beginning on Monday, October 5th, attending school two full days per week (Mon/Wed or Tues/Thurs).  Students who chose the all Remote Option will remain remote.

Desks arrived at Eddington and Holden Schools on Monday.  Desks also arrived at Holbrook, but those desks are all missing legs.  The manufacture is now shipping the legs to us.  In order to start moving Grades 6, 7, and 8 to the Green schedule, we need the additional desks.  We are also removing some built-in furniture from some Holbrook classrooms and looking for ways we can move all our students to the Green schedule.  We will continue to evaluate how things are going and make adjustments as needed.  We will also continue to work towards:

·      bringing our students in Grades 6 through 8 to school four days per week,

·      adding more remote contact and instruction on days students are remote,

·      providing additional instructional support and extensions to identified students, and

·      offering extra-curricular opportunities to students.

I have been impressed by the commitment made by all our RSU 63 staff to ensure our students are safe, fed, and learning.  We very much appreciate your patience and support.  We are grateful to be a part of this community. 

TIMELINE FOR PK THROUGH GRADE 5 MOVING TO GREEN SCHEDULE 

There have been a few hitches in getting the school year started.  Thank you for your help and patience as we worked on technology links, afternoon traffic patterns, etc.  Overall, our students have done a wonderful job logging in to attend their morning meetings, wearing their face masks, and adjusting to the new routines.  While we still need to give lots of reminders to the students about maintaining physical distance at school, they are doing a better job with that as well. 

Assuming all goes well and the Maine CDC and DOE’s recommendation for Penobscot County continues to remain “Green,” we are ready to begin moving some grade levels from the Yellow schedule to our Green Schedule, with at-school instruction four days per week (Monday through Thursday) and remote learning for all students on Fridays. 

Other factors that influence this decision include:

• Class sizes small enough and classrooms large enough for students to take mask breaks indoors (6 ft. apart, windows open, fans blowing out).  Sometimes students will need to sit on their sit-upon or stadium seat for an indoor mask break.
• Enough space and seating available for students to be at least 6 ft. apart (and not having to be on the floor or outside) for lunch and snack breaks.
• Desks and cots arriving on time.
• Transportation concerns including the number of students riding buses and the number of cars picking up students from school in the afternoon.
• The ability to schedule and limit student interactions to grade level/cohort groups.

Parents who chose the Remote Option should plan on having their children continue with the Remote Option until at least the end of the first trimester (November 20, 2020).  We do not currently have the space or staffing to absorb all Remote Option students into our Green schedule.  Additionally, all Remote Option students have not yet practiced the new at-school rules and procedures.  Students who chose at-school instruction but have needed to be remote for a few days due to travel or health reasons may return to at-school learning once it is safe to do so.  If you have the need to change from at-school learning to all remote learning or vice-versa, please contact Don Spencer (dspencer@rsu63.org) or Ashley Allen (aallen@rsu63.org).

Due to larger class sizes, Yellow Hybrid Instruction will continue for Grades 6 through 8 (with at-school instruction Mondays and Wednesdays for students in Pod A, at-school instruction on Tuesdays and Thursdays for students in Pod B, and all students remote on Fridays). Students who chose the all Remote Option will remain remote.

Monday, September 21st:  Grades 1, 3, and 5
Assuming Penobscot County’s rating and local health conditions remain Green, students in Grades 1, 3, and 5 can begin following our Green schedule and attend school 4 days per week, with Friday being remote.  Students who chose the all Remote Option will remain remote.

Monday, September 28th:  Kindergarten and Grade 2
Assuming Penobscot County’s rating remains Green, local health conditions are stable, and the desks and cots we ordered arrive, we anticipate students in Kindergarten and Grade 2 joining Grades 1, 3, and 5 and begin following our Green schedule; attending school 4 days per week, with Friday being remote.  Students who chose the all Remote Option will remain remote.

Monday, October 5th:  Pre-Kindergarten and Grade 4
Assuming things continue to go well, we anticipate students in Grade 4 joining Kindergarten through Grade 5 following the Green schedule; attending school 4 days per week, with Friday being remote. 
Students in Pre-Kindergarten would also begin following the Green schedule beginning on Monday, October 5th, attending school two full days per week (Mon./Wed. or Tues/Thurs). PreK students who chose the all Remote Option will remain remote.
Parents who chose the Remote Option should plan on having their children continue with the Remote Option until at least the end of the first trimester (November 20, 2020). 

RSU 63 will activate our plan for RED – All Remote Instruction whenever required by local health conditions and whenever recommended by the Maine CDC and DOE.

We will continue to evaluate how things are going and make adjustments as needed.  We will also continue to work towards:

• bringing our students in Grades 6 through 8 to school four days per week,
• adding more remote contact and instruction on days students are remote,
• providing additional instructional support and extensions to identified students, and
• offering extra-curricular opportunities to students.

There have been and continue to be many questions (often with no clear answers), and a lot of anxiety for parents, teachers, and students.  You might find Pandemic-parent.org a helpful resource as we navigate the COVID-19 pandemic together.

Bus Schedules and Information for First Week

TO: RSU 63 PARENTS
FROM:  SUSAN SMITH, SUPERINTENDENT/DIRECTOR of CURRICULUM & INSTR.
RE:  BUS SCHEDULES and INFORMATION FOR THE FIRST WEEK
DATE:  AUGUST, 19 2020

Bus Schedules
Attached are our bus schedules for this year.  We will do our best to be on time.  However, safety is our first priority.  Bus runs usually take a little longer when school first starts.  We expect that to be true this year as well.  The phone number for our bus garage is 561-9238.  (If no one answers, it is probably because they are all out driving.  Please call your child’s school or the RSU 63 Central Office at 843-7851.)

Eddington Holden Holbrook Bus Schedules

High School Bus Schedules

Students can be dropped off at Eddington and Holden from 8:00am – 8:40am and picked up from 2:30pm-3:00pm. 

Students can be dropped off at Holbrook from 8:10am – 8:40am and picked up from 3:00pm-3:30pm. 

The First Days of School
Information and links to Open House on Monday and Tuesday evenings (Aug. 24 and 25th) will be sent through each school’s newsletter/SchoolMessenger emails.

Students in Pod A start Wednesday, August 26th.  Thursday and Friday are Remote for Pod A.

Students in Pod B start Thursday, August 27th.  Friday is Remote for Pod B.

Because the first week is shorter than most weeks, links to assignments for Friday, August 28th and Friday’s Morning Meetings will be sent through each school’s newsletter/SchoolMessenger emails.   In the future, those and other remote assignments, meeting links, etc. will start arriving through individual emails from Homeroom Teachers every Sunday evening at 5:00pm.

All Remote Option Students
Pod A students who chose the All Remote Option can pick up their computers/tablets from their school on Wednesday, August 26th from 10:00am until 4:00pm.

Pod B students who chose the All Remote Option can pick up their computers/tablets from their school on Thursday, August 26th from 10:00am until 4:00pm.

(Note:  All Remote Option students will not be counted as absent on Wednesday or Thursday.)

All Remote Option Students need to participate in Friday’s Morning Meeting and complete the Friday assignments.  Because the first week is shorter than most weeks, links to assignments for Friday, August 28th and Friday’s Morning Meetings will be sent through each school’s newsletter/SchoolMessenger emails.   In the future, those and other assignments, meeting links, etc. will start arriving through individual emails from Homeroom Teachers every Sunday evening at 5:00pm.

COVID-19 Symptom Check

As students to return to school, please remember to conduct COVID-19 symptom checks for your child(ren) each day they have at-school instruction.

If your child...
has a fever of 100.4 or higher,
has a cough,
has shortness of breath/difficulty breathing, or
has been in close contact with a person who has COVID-19,

Your child must stay home and you need to contact your health care provider. You also need to contact the school secretary and let her know why your child will not be coming to school.

Eddington (PreK, K, and Grade 1): Tina Ferrill, tferrill@rsu63.org 843-6010

Holden (Grades 2, 3, and 4): Heather Kiley hkiley@rsu63.org 843-7828

Holbrook (Grades 5 - 8): Karen Everhart keverhart@rsu63.org 843-7769

If your child has one of the symptoms above, your child will need a note from your medical provider before returning to school.

If you or your child have traveled outside Maine in the past 14 days, please contact Dawna Bickford, our school nurse at dbickford@rsu63.org.

The Maine DOE also sent out new guidance regarding face masks. Face masks with vents are not allowed.

School newsletters, bus schedules (very similar to last year), lunch menus, links to virtual open house sessions on Monday and Tuesday evening, and additional information will be coming soon.

Susan Smith
RSU 63 Superintendent

RSU 63 Guide for Returning to School

I am proud of the way our students, parents, staff, and community members have responded to the COVID-19 crisis.  The attached “RSU 63 Guide for Returning to School” represents our best thinking to date on how we intend to open our RSU 63 schools and provide instruction and support for students this fall.  Our plan is based on the requirements and guidance provided by the Maine Department of Education (DOE) and the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  It incorporates creative, solution-oriented ideas from our staff as well as input and feedback from our community.  The guide provides quality At-School and Remote Instruction while taking steps to protect the health of our students, staff, and community.  While the number of COVID-19 cases in Maine is low, our vulnerability is high.    

INVITATION TO MEET

Hello RSU 63 Parents,

Please join me for some video/phone-in sessions through Google Meet next week.  The sessions on Tuesday and Wednesday (August 11^th and 12^th) will share the same information regarding our plans for returning to school.  (We thought it best to offer this twice.) 

The panel discussion on Thursday, August 13^th will include professionals from the fields of physical and emotional health. 

We hope these opportunities and the more detailed information we will have ready to send to you next Tuesday (August 11^th) will answer many of your questions and help you prepare your children for what to expect this year. 

Thank you very much for your patience as we work together to provide safe learning environments for our students, staff, and community during this pandemic. 

Sincerely,

Susan Smith, RSU 63 Superintendent/Director of Curriculum and Instruction 

Tuesday, August 11^th at 6:30pm: RSU 63’s Plans for Returning to School

Join with Google Meet  meet.google.com/ade-dcnh-mjt

Join by phone +1 502-791-5546 PIN: ‪742 377 457#

Wednesday, August 12^th at 6:30pm: RSU 63’s Plans for Returning to School

Join with Google Meet  meet.google.com/mzv-vaip-ecg

Join by phone +1 470-735-3403 PIN: ‪793 506 854#

Thursday, August 13^th at 6:30pm: Panel Discussion – Physical and Emotional Health Considerations for Returning to School

Join with Google Meet meet.google.com/qih-ihtn-jid

Join by phone +1 541-362-4669 PIN: ‪313 552 347#

I recently received this invitation from the Maine Parent Federation and thought I would pass it along to you. 

RSU 63 Outline for Returning to School

Below you will find a link to RSU 63's Outline for Returning to School.

This Outline represents our best thinking to date on how we intend to open our RSU 63 schools this fall.  Our plan provides quality At-School and Remote Instruction while taking steps to protect the health of our students, staff, and community.  While the number of COVID-19 cases in Maine is low, our vulnerability is high.  As we implement new procedures and learn more about COVID-19, I anticipate we will need to refine and revise our plans.  Thank you for your patience as we figure this out together.

Susan M. Smith
RSU 63 Superintendent

RSU 63 Outline for Returning to School

July 13, 2020

Dear RSU 63 Parents,

As we plan for the start of the 2020-2021 school year, our goal is to have as many students as possible come to school for instruction and other activities as quickly as we safely can.   While we wish to return to our regular routines and procedures, we know we have to live and teach within the demands and constraints of the COVID-19 guidelines.  We anticipate COVID-19 conditions to change for our community and for individual students throughout the school year.  We are planning for three levels of instruction; Remote Instruction, Remote & At-School Instruction Hybrid, and At-School Instruction.   Please see the attached document outlining these three Instruction Levels.  We expect we will need to move back and forth between these levels during the school year as health and safety conditions require.

Using a Working Draft of the Maine Department of Education’s “Return to Classroom Instruction Framework,” we have formed several subcommittees.  These groups have begun working on plans for School Safety (physical health and safety considerations), Transportation, Screening (of our Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten Students), Food Service, Technology, Teaching and Learning Expectations, Human Resources/Employment, Social and Emotional Well-Being, and Childcare.

Our community recognizes that childcare for school-aged children will likely be a great need.  Please know that area churches, childcare providers, and other organizations are working together to provide high-quality childcare options for you and your children.  We know our kids need safe, welcoming, and consistent places where adults support their education and social emotional development.  We are working on this – together as a community!  Please let me know if you have any suggestions or are interested in providing flexible, safe childcare.

We hope to have many details of our RSU 63 draft plans available to you on July 28^th.  In early August, we anticipate the Maine Department of Education (DOE) and the Maine Center for Disease Control (CDC) will make a recommendation regarding the level of instruction we will be able to provide our students at the start of the school year.  Once we receive that recommendation, we will finalize our plans and share them with you as quickly as possible.  Our first day of school for students is scheduled to be Wednesday, August 26^th.

As our RSU 63 subcommittees continue to work out the details for each level of instruction, we would greatly appreciate your input and feedback.  Please take about 10 minutes to share your preferences and concerns regarding safety, transportation, childcare, instruction, and extra-curricular activities by completing this survey by Monday, July 20^th:

https://forms.gle/nCJbN15YVvTdhujy9

We value your perspective and will incorporate your feedback into our plans to the extent possible.  However, our decisions will be driven by the need to educate our students safely and follow guidelines from the DOE and CDC.

(Note: You may have filled out a similar survey for the Maine DOE or legislators.  The feedback to the DOE will be compiled by a research group and considered by the state team as they revise the Maine Framework over the next month. While the state surveys will provide a snapshot at the state and/or county levels, we need our own RSU 63-specific information to develop plans that will best meet your needs.)

Our hope is that Maine’s continued efforts to battle COVID-19 will allow our students to resume At-School Instruction for the start of the 2020-2021 school year.   However, while we are hoping for the best, we need to be prepared for many possible scenarios.

Sincerely,

Susan Smith, RSU 63 Superintendent of Schools

June 12, 2020

Dear Parents,

All of us at RSU 63 would like to commend you for your support of our students during these difficult times.  To parents who are on the front lines as first responders and health care workers, we thank you for keeping our community healthy and safe.  For those parents who continue to put your lives on the line to go to work to keep our grocery stores and gas stations open, we thank you for allowing the rest of us to get the supplies we need.  For those parents working from home, we thank you for taking on the additional fulltime job of teaching and child care that changed to "in-home" when we had to close our school buildings.  For those parents who have lost their jobs, our hearts go out to you.  Please do not hesitate to reach out if we can provide food or other assistance.

2020 has proven to be a challenging year and unfortunately the future is still uncertain.  All of our lives have been, and will continue to be, disrupted by the pandemic.  Our nation is grappling with tough realities like high unemployment, incredible loss of life, and the quest for racial equality. We want you to know we are appalled by the tragic death of George Floyd, disturbed by the riots and looting, and stand in support of the peaceful voices speaking for change.  All of these events can be difficult for children to understand and talk about.  As educators, we have committed ourselves to creating schools that are safe and welcoming places for everyone.  With our students, we think and talk about things like race and skin color.  We believe we all have a role in working together to develop a more peaceful and inclusive society.  We encourage you to talk with kids of all ages about race and help them understand the information they may be getting from the news and social media.  We know some of you are hesitant to talk about what is happening across the nation. We do not expect families to talk about the violence, but hope you will share in general terms how people of color are being treated unfairly and how we can all play a role in helping our world be kind and fair.  We know your child's safety and emotional well-being is the first priority so below are some links to tools and resources to help facilitate these conversations.

Talking About Race: Resources for Holden and Eddington Elementary Schools

What to Say to Kids When the News is Scary

Talking to Children After Racial Incidents

Embrace Race

On a much lighter note, we also wanted to leave you with some safe, family-friendly, summer time activities here in Maine.

Places to Go and Things to Do

We are proud and grateful to be a part of this community.

Sincerely,

Susan M. Smith, RSU 63 Superintendent of Schools

TO:  COMMUNITY MEMBERS

FROM:  SUSAN SMITH, SUPERINTENDENT/DIRECTOR OF CURRICULUM & INSTRUCTION

RE:  FY21 BUDGET and PROCESS

DATE:  JUNE 8, 2020

There was a flurry of activity last week in anticipation of and in reaction to Gov. Mills' Executive Order regarding the budget approval process.  We have looked closely at Executive Order 56 as well as guidance from the Maine Department of Education and the Maine School Management Association.  RSU 63 will continue with our traditional budget approval process as planned, being careful to provide public access and information while following the rules and safety practices regarding physical distancing and face masks.  The timing and dates are different than we are used to, but our process will remain the same.  

Dates for RSU 63 FY21 Budget Validation Process

• Public Hearing and RSU 63 Board Meeting on Monday, June 15^th at 6:30pm in the Holbrook Middle School Gym.  We will be following the requirements for physical distancing.  Please wear a face mask.  Members of the public may also connect by phone. 1 484-841-5850    PIN: ‪110 237 675#
• RSU 63 District Budget Meeting:  Wednesday, July 1, 2020 at 7:00pm in the Holbrook Middle School Gym.  We will be following the requirements for physical distancing.  Please wear a face mask. 

• Referendum Vote: Tuesday, July 14, 2020 - Ballot voting through the towns of Clifton, Eddington, and Holden.

Under the “Quick Links” on the left hand side of our homepage is the draft budget for FY21 (2020-2021 School Year) and a summary.  Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns about the budget or the process. 

If you are a resident of Clifton, Eddington, or Holden, please mark your calendars and grab your face mask! 

Food Support

Food support is available to any resident of Eddington, Clifton, and Holden. Because of the holiday, food pick-up will be on Tuesday, May 26th from 9:00am - 11:00am at the Holbrook School.

We will resume our Monday food support schedule on June 1st, 8th, and 15th; with pick-up at the Holbrook School from 9:00am - 11:00am.

We are waiting for information from the state and the USDA regarding summer food support. Once we have the details worked out, we will publicize our plan for the rest or June, July, and August.

TO:  RSU 63 PARENTS, STAFF, and COMMUNITY MEMBERS

FROM:  SUSAN SMITH, SUPERINTENDENT/DIRECTOR OF CURRICULUM & INSTRUCTION

RE:  REMOTE LEARNING UPDATE and END-OF-YEAR PLANNING

DATE:  May 1, 2020

THANK YOU PARENTS! All of us at RSU 63 would like to commend parents for their support of our children during this challenging time.  We are proud and grateful that our entire community is putting others first by staying home, staying safe, and participating to the extent possible in remote learning.  We know it has been, and continues to, be challenging.  Your child's safety and emotional well-being is the first priority as we navigate this new normal together.  All our lives have been disrupted by this pandemic and we are all juggling multiple roles.  We know it is hard and some days feel impossible.  We recognize that whatever self and family care you need to get through this has to come before any schooling expectation.  You are doing an exceptional job.  Again, we thank you and appreciate your continued patience and understanding as we adjust to the slow reopening of the state and guidance provided to us by Governor Mills, the Maine CDC, and the Maine Department of Education in the coming months.

PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH We want every student, parent, and staff member to be physically healthy and receive help in managing any worries or anxiety they might be feeling.  If you are concerned about someone, call 2-1-1 or the NAMI Maine Hotline at 800-464-5767, press 1 (helpline@namimaine.org).  Please view RSU 63 as a support as well.  Our Central Office number is 843-7851.  We also have resources for parents on our website (https://www.rsu63.org/domain/217).

FOOD SUPPORT RSU 63 (and CHEFS) continues to provide food to our students (and any resident of Clifton, Eddington, or Holden).  Clifton & Eddington residents can pick up food from the Holbrook School on Mondays from 9:00am – 10:00am.  Holden residents can pick up food from the Holbrook School on Mondays from 10:00am – 11:00am.  CHEFS is open to residents of Clifton, Eddington, and Holden on Thursdays from 4:00pm until 6:00pm.

The Clifton Community Food Bank can be reached at 949-3238 or at the Clifton Church at 843-5441. Leave a detailed message.  It's free and confidential. The food bank is located at the Clifton Church at 742 Airline Road.

REMOTE LEARNING RSU 63 is continuing with remote learning for the remainder of this school year.  Friday, June 5th was originally planned to be the end of our third trimester.  Friday, June 5th will still be the last day students have assignments due to their teachers.   Make-up/late work will be accepted during the week of June 8th – 12th.  Friday, June 12th will be our last day of school.  Final report cards will be mailed (regular US Postal Service or emailed) to parents/guardians the week of June 15th. 

END-OF-YEAR PLANNING Similar to the last week of a regular school year, we will celebrate with our students and provide some special activities from Monday, June 8th through Friday, June 12th.  Many of our regular celebrations, like Grade 8 Promotion, will need to be redesigned.  We will have to find alternatives to things like class trips and field days.  However, we will continue to work hard to provide both continuity and closure for students as we end this unique school year together.

As we think about the start of the 2020-21 School Year (our first student day is planned for Wednesday, August 26th), we are also considering ways to have students spend some time with their classmates and teachers from this year; maybe a picnic or ice cream social. 

 Please keep your eye on our school newsletters, SchoolMessenger emails, website, and Facebook page for additional information and details regarding the end of this school year and the start of next year.  

RSU 63 FOOD SUPPORT: APRIL 27, 2020 – JUNE 15, 2020

In order to continue providing food during the COVID-19 School Building Closure, we need your help!

On Friday, April 17th, we will deliver a large food box to each family on our RSU 63 food delivery list.  April 20th - 24th is April Break.  There will not be remote learning nor food delivery during April Break.   

Starting Monday, April 27th, please plan on picking up food for the week on Mondays at the Holbrook Middle School. 

Please come to Holbrook’s back parking lot and display the sign (provided) in your car window.

Residents of Eddington and Clifton, please come 9:00am - 10:00am.

Residents of Holden, please come 10:00am – 11:00am.

Monday, April 27

Monday, May 4

Monday, May 11

Monday, May 18

*Tuesday, May 26 (*Monday the 25th is Memorial Day)

Monday, June 1

Monday, June 8

Monday, June 15   

Thank you for helping us make food support safer and more sustainable during these difficult times.

If you cannot make it to Holbrook Middle School or if you would like to be added to our Food Support list, please email or call Shelley Wyman swyman@rsu63.org or 843-7851, ext. 1.

ADDITIONAL FOOD SUPPORT in OUR AREA

CHEFS (Clifton, Holden, Eddington Food Support). In the “snack shack” by the ball fields behind the Holbrook School.  Open Every Thursday from 4:00pm – 6:00pm

The Clifton Community Food Bank is ready to respond to any food need during this trying time of social distancing and quarantines.  You may reach the food bank at 949-3238 or at the Clifton Church at 843-5441. Leave a detailed message.  It's free and confidential. The food bank is located at the Clifton Church at 742 Airline Road.

March 24th Update

 Dear RSU 63 Parents, Students, and Community Members,

Following the Governor's orders, the Eddington and Holden School buildings are closed.  Mr. Spencer will be working with a bus driver to deliver materials to our Holden students tomorrow (Wednesday, March 25th).  

 The Holbrook School is only available to those who are providing essential services related to food and finance.  We already have wonderful staff members signed up to help with food prep and delivery through April 17th.   

Food deliveries will occur this week on Wednesday, March 25th and Friday, March 27th.

Next week, food deliveries will move to Tuesday & Friday afternoons between 12:00 and 2:00.  

Tuesday, March 31st      Friday, April 3rd       

Tuesday, April 7th           Friday, April 10th

Tuesday, April 14th         Friday, April 17th

We will continue to connect with you remotely. We are all getting better at this every day! 

 Take a deep breath, look around, find a spot to do school work from, and a spot to relax in.  We will “see” each other soon - through Google Hangouts, Facetime, Zoom, etc.

Take care of yourselves and each other. 

Susan Smith

RSU 63 schools will be closed through April 17th and off for the scheduled vacation (April 20th - 24th).

Thank you for your patience while we gathered the most recent, accurate information we can to develop a plan for RSU 63.  I am confident these are the right steps – for now.  I also expect the situation will change.

RSU 63 will be closed at least through Friday, March 27.  We will continually reassess the situation to determine when it is possible to reopen beyond the 27th.

I will continue to communicate with you through phone calls (for the most important, time-sensitive information), emails (for detailed information) and our RSU 63 Eddington, Holden, and Holbrook Schools Facebook page (for sharing other resources and re-posting emails and announcements).  Information can also be found on our website www.rsu63.org.

You can call 2-1-1 to get general information regarding Covid-19, health care information, and crisis support.  You can also email me (ssmith@rsu63.org) or call our RSU 63 Central Office at 207-843-7851 if you have questions about RSU 63’s plan or resources.  The office will be open, but if you need an in-person meeting, I ask that you call first.  

Below is additional important information.  Our goal is to stay connected and work together as a community to support one another through this difficult time.

Food Distribution: We will begin using our buses, routes, drivers, and cooks to deliver food to families in need on Wednesday, March 18th (between 12:00pm and 2:00pm).  We plan to continue this service on Friday, March 20th as well as Monday, Wednesday, and Friday next week.  If you are in need of something to eat (and not already receiving free lunch) please email me (ssmith@rsu63.org).  If you are able to help, please consider making a monetary donation (checks payable to “Holbrook - CHEFS”) or dropping off non-perishable food, personal hygiene products, and/or reusable cloth grocery bags in the lobby area of the RSU 63 Central Office (the back side of Holbrook School).

Important Items Left at School:  For these two weeks, we are asking families to call our schools between 9:00am and 2:00pm if they believe their child(ren) have left essential items in one of our buildings or on a bus.  This includes medication, a warm coat, eye glasses, or other health related items.  It does not include musical instructions, books, school supplies, computers, or other items students can live without for the next two weeks.  If the item is deemed essential, school personnel will retrieve it and bring it to the school’s lobby/entrance area.

Learning/Engagement Opportunities:  Our staff will be providing ideas and resources for optional at-home activities that will help keep your child(ren) engaged.  More information about this will be coming from teachers soon.  These activities will not be mandatory or part of any student’s school program.  They will not be graded or incorporated into any part of your child(ren)’s school record.  However, we do feel it is important for students to have a chance to use their brains and imagination during this extended time away from school.

Help Everyone in Our Community:  We are not only concerned about our students and staff.  Please help us all protect each other, especially our older adults.

1.     Wash your hands frequently

2.     Maintain social distancing (stay 3 feet away from others)

3.     Avoid touching your face

I would like to thank RSU 63’s Pandemic Management Team for their input and on-going support of our schools and community.  We are truly blessed to live in Clifton, Eddington, and Holden. 

Eddie Benjamin – Holden Police Department

Dawna Bickford – RSU 63 School Nurse

George Cummings – RSU 63 Technology Coordinator

Ryan Davis – Holden Fire Dept./Parent    

Jim Ellis- Eddington Fire/Penobscot County Sheriff Dept

Jesse Gauthier – RSU 63 Director of Special Services

Linda Graban – RSU 63 School Board Vice-Chair/Clifton Resident

Chris Greely – Holden Police Department

David McCluskey – Community Care Director/Eddington Resident

Richard Modery – Holbrook School Principal

Jake Morgan – RSU 63 Transportation and Facilities Director

Craig Russell - Eddington Fire/ Parent

Don Spencer – Eddington and Holden Schools’ Principal

Kelly Theriault – RSU 63 School Nutrition Administrator

Chris Watson – Penobscot County Sheriff Dept.

Start where you are.  Use what you have. Do what you can. – Arthur Ashe

Thank you to all of you who have expressed support and asked good questions as we work together to understand the COVID-19 outbreak and react responsibly.

In an effort to proactively slow the spread of COVID-19, RSU 63 Schools will be closed beginning Monday, March 16th.  I anticipate they will remain closed at least until Monday, March 30th.  No classes, clubs, or activities will be held at the Eddington, Holden, and Holbrook Schools.  All three school buildings will be closed.  This closure is subject to change as new information becomes available.

I do not take this action lightly but feel it is in the best interest of the health of our students, staff, and community members. 

I will be meeting with RSU 63’s Pandemic Management Team on Monday.  Further communication and information will be coming as we learn more and monitor the situation. 

I will continue to communicate through School Messenger phone calls, School Messenger emails, our RSU 63: Eddington, Holden, and Holbrook Schools Facebook page, and our website (www.rsu63.org).

During this school closing, teachers, administrators, and office staff will still have access to the buildings.  However, our buildings will be locked and not open to the general public.  Custodial staff will conduct extensive cleaning.  All our business functions will continue.  We will return phone calls and emails as quickly as possible. 

These are stressful times.  I know the uncertainty of COVID-19 makes many things difficult. Thank you for your patience and your help in keeping our community safe.

Grant Awarded! Accelerating Promising Practices for Small Libraries

RSU 63 received a competitive, federal grant for $49,711 from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. This year (2019-20), the grant will allow us to purchase some new furniture for the Holbrook, Holden, and Eddington libraries and add library instruction at the Eddington and Holden Schools. Next year (2020-21), we will be able to have additional after school programs at the Holden School. Yay Ms. Hardy!

District and School Reports

Each year the Maine Department of Education issues a report for each district.  These reports summarize state assessments and other data for students in Grades 3-8 and 11.  The report also contains information about teacher qualifications.  State law requires those to be made available to the community.  The ESSA Dashboard at the Maine Department of Education allows you to review report cards for schools and districts across the state, including those in RSU 63. 

We are proud to continue to perform above the state average in literacy and math while spending less per pupil than the state average.

ESEA Dashboard