We are excited to continue our journey towards a more “Pre-COVID normal” in our schools even as COVID-19 (and the Delta variant) is sending clear messages that it isn’t finished with us yet. The fact that we will be able to open our schools to all of our students for five full days of instruction per week is something I know we have all been looking forward to for far too long.
School will begin for all Grade 6 and 9 students on Monday, August 30. School will begin for students in grades 1-5, 7-8 and 10-12 on August 31.
Kindergarten screening will take place for all Kindergarten students Monday, August 30-Wednesday September 1. The first day of school for incoming Kindergarten students will be Thursday, September 2.
You can find the most up to date 2021-22 School Calendar by going to the district website. Please note that our 2021-22 School calendar includes five snow days. The plan at this point will be to use the five snow days as needed for traditional snow days, and then we would look to utilize remote learning snow days so that we do not have to extend the ending of the school year. This will only be done if we have already utilized all five snow days that are built into the current calendar.
For the last year, the federal government has stepped in to provide free breakfast and lunch for all students, and it plans to continue that program through 2021-22. The effort has allowed all students, regardless of their family’s socioeconomic status, to receive a free breakfast and lunch, while at school across all grades. It is good news that we will be able to keep this program for the coming year. Elementary Schools will begin at 8:50 a.m. and end at 3:10 p.m. GMS will begin at 8:00 a.m. and end at 2:20 p.m. GHS will begin at 7:50 a.m. and end at 2:10 p.m. On early release days (marked on the calendar) students will be dismissed from GHS at 11:00 a.m., from GMS at 11:10 a.m. and from the three elementary schools at 12:00 p.m.
K-5 schools will be sending out specific parent drop off and pick up information that might impact these times, as procedures to accommodate COVID-19 and student safety guidelines will still be in place.
Specific Transportation routes and estimated times for a.m. and p.m. bus schedules will be posted on the district website no later than August 23, 2021.
Numbers of students on the bus at any given time will not be regulated (other than to the overall bus capacity rules that have always existed). In other words, we will be moving back to full seating on our buses across grades K-12.
Please know that students will be expected to sanitize their hands as they enter the bus and will be required to wear a face covering/mask while riding the bus. Four windows will remain open on each bus to increase air circulation. Please plan accordingly.
The School Committee has the final authority and approved the Pandemic Operations plan on August 11. [See School Committee Report.]
By encouraging those that can get vaccinated to get vaccinated and by following CDC guidelines, I believe we will be able to keep our schools open for instruction five days per week even during times when transmission rates within our community may increase. Our schools have demonstrated how safe they are for our children, and I believe this coming year will be no different.
By opening in and operating in the green model, we can make sure our students have engaging, fun, and meaningful learning experiences across all our schools.
We are going to find a way to safely do the things we know are most important for our children. We are going to learn and play together. We are going to laugh and possibly even cry a bit together. We are going to listen to and support one another – we are going to be what Gorham is – STRONG!
I may be a bit biased, but in my humble opinion, we have the BEST students around, we have the BEST staff around, we have the BEST parent/guardians around, and we have the BEST community in the state!
I know I speak for everyone when I say we can’t wait to hear that “buzz” across our schools that can only be heard when our students are safely with us, learning, playing and growing together! See you all soon!
The following list is a high level “executive summary”:
The Gorham Schools will be following the most recent federal CDC guidelines for the safe reopening of schools (Updated 7/9/21).
All staff and students riding school buses/vans must wear face coverings/masks while riding.
All staff and students riding school buses/vans must sanitize their hands prior to boarding.
All students and staff across grades K-12 will be required to wear a face covering/mask while indoors.
Physical distancing requirements have been lifted (under the green model – distancing requirements would kick in again under the yellow model), although we will still encourage distancing when practicable.
We will encourage students across grades K-12 to maintain a minimum of 3ft of physical distance when eating. Air Purifying units will be added to each school’s cafeteria spaces to add additional layers of protection for students while eating.
We will continue to strongly encourage utilization of outdoor classroom spaces.
Parents/guardians will be asked to use a daily health screening tool as a guide to make decisions about sending their child to school or not each day and will only need to communicate with the school if there is a positive indication of symptoms based upon utilization of the screening tool.
If staff or students are sick, we ask that you remain home.
Contact tracing for possible exposure to COVID-19 will continue. Vaccinated individuals will not need to quarantine due to a possible exposure/close contact, however they will be encouraged to test 3-5 days after exposure.
Unvaccinated individuals who have been deemed a close contact will still be required to quarantine for 10 days.