Area schools to open in upcoming week

Area schools to open in upcoming week
Liz Gotthelf, Publisher

Area schools are opening as previously planned, with the first week of school beginning Sept. 8.

On Friday, the Maine Department of Health and Human Services and the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention recategorized York County from green to yellow under the state’s color-coded health advisory system that classifies risk of COVID-19 transmission.

The change to yellow was made as a result of increases in the number of cases per capita, a positivity rate three times above the state average -1.8% compared to 0.6%- as well as five new outbreaks opened up in York County in the last two weeks, according to a written statement from the Maine Department of Education released on Friday.

“A number of new cases in York County are not readily traced to known outbreaks, suggesting increasing community transmission,” stated DOE officials in the press release.

 

The rest of the state remains under a green designation. Schools in yellow counties are advised to operate under a hybrid model with a mix of in-person days and remote learning.

According to the DOE, all school districts in York County had already planned to start the school year under a locally developed hybrid model.

“We planned ahead and treated the return-to-school as if we’d be yellow all along. Therefore, a yellow designation does not change Biddeford or Dayton’s plans and we continue to welcome back students in a hybrid model and/or remote instruction,” said Jeremy Ray, superintendent of schools in Biddeford and Datyon in a letter to parents on Friday.

In Biddeford Saco and Old Orchard Beach, students can choose to attend school remotely or go to school under a hybrid model.

In Saco public schools students who go to school under the hybrid model will be in one of two cohorts. Cohort A will attend school in-person on Monday and Tuesday, and will do their studies remotely Wednesday through Friday, with Wednesday being a flex day. Cohort B will go to school in-person on Thursday and Friday, and go to school remotely Monday through Wednesday, with Wednesday being a flex day.

In Old Orchard Beach, students choose to attend classes in-person will attend school on site Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, with Wednesday being a remote flex day.

In Biddeford, students in grades Pre-K through eight who attend schools in person will attend schools on site Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, with Wednesday being a remote flex day. Biddeford High School students who opt to attend classes in-person will be in one of two cohorts. Cohort A will attend school on-site on Monday and Tuesday and attend school Wednesday through Friday remotely with Wednesday being a flex day. Cohort B will attend school in-person Thursday and Friday and attend school remotely Monday through Wednesday with Wednesday being a flex day.

Publisher Liz Gotthelf can be reached at [email protected].