York County now categorized as yellow, other counties remain green

AUGUSTA — The Mills Administration today released a special update to its color-coded Health Advisory System that classifies counties’ relative risk of COVID-19 transmission by color, and is provided to assist schools as they continue with their plans to deliver instruction and support students safely this fall.

The Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recategorized York County from green to yellow 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%), and the five new outbreaks opened up in York County in the last two weeks. A number of new cases in York County are not readily traced to known outbreaks, suggesting increasing community transmission.

This change in classification is made out of an abundance of caution and for the consideration of school administrative units in York County in their decisions to deliver instruction. Maine DHHS and Maine CDC reassessed both York and Penobscot counties one week early due to recent, concerning trends. Penobscot County remains green, based on this assessment.

All York County school districts have already planned to start the school year under a locally developed hybrid model to ensure they are able to meet the six required health and safety measures for safely returning to in-person instruction. Under the “yellow” designation, which indicates an increased (moderate) level of community risk, schools may consider additional precautions, such as limiting numbers of people in school buildings at the same time, suspending extracurricular or co-curricular activities including competitions between schools, limiting interaction through cohorting, or other measures based on the unique needs of each school community.

It is essential that school districts in York County, and across the State of Maine, continue to implement plans that adhere to the six requirements for returning to in-person instruction, regardless of their county’s red, yellow, or green designation:

1. Symptom Screening at Home Before Coming to School (for all Staff and Students) – Students (parents/caregivers) and staff members must conduct self-checks for symptoms prior to boarding buses or entering school buildings each day.  Schools should provide information to families in their primary language to support them in conducting this check.   Any person showing symptoms must report their symptoms and not be present at school.  Schools must provide clear and accessible directions to parents/caregivers and students for reporting symptoms and absences.
2. Physical Distancing and Facilities – Adults must maintain 6 feet of distance from others to the extent possible. Maintaining 3 feet of distance is acceptable between and among students when combined with the other measures outlined in this list of safety requirements.  6 feet of physical distancing is required for students while eating breakfast and lunch, as students will be unable to wear masks at that time.   A “medical isolation space” (separate from the nurse’s office) must be designated for students/staff who exhibit COVID-19 symptoms during the school day. Adequate ventilation is required for classrooms, with schools having flexibility in implementation such as using properly working ventilation systems or outdoor air exchange using fans in open windows or doors. Groups in any one area, room, or classroom must not exceed the Governor’s gathering size limits.
3. Masks/Face Coverings – Adults, including educators and staff, are required to wear a mask/face covering. Students age five and above are required to wear a mask/face covering that covers their nose and mouth. (Updated 7/31/20) Masks are recommended for children ages two to four, when developmentally appropriate. (Updated 7/31/20).  Masks/face coverings must be worn by all students on the bus. Face shields may be an alternative for those students with documented medical or behavioral challenges who are unable to wear masks/face coverings. (Updated 8/12/20). The same applies to staff with medical or other health reasons for being unable to wear face coverings. Face shields worn in place of a face covering must extend below the chin and back to the ears.
4. Hand Hygiene – All students and staff in a school must receive training in proper hand hygiene. All students and staff must wash hands or use sanitizing gel upon entering the school, before and after eating, before and after donning or removing a face mask, after using the restroom, before and after use of playgrounds and shared equipment, and before and after riding school transportation.
5. Personal Protective Equipment – Additional safety precautions are required for school nurses and/or any staff supporting students in close proximity, when distance is not possible, or when student require physical assistance. These precautions must at a minimum include eye protection (e.g., face shield or goggles) and a mask/face covering. Classrooms and/or areas that have been used by an individual diagnosed with Covid-19 must be closed off until thorough cleaning and sanitization takes place.
6. Return to School after Illness – Sick staff members and students must use home isolation until they meet criteria for returning to school.

The Health Advisory System categorizations are defined as follows:

• RED:Categorization as “red” suggests that the county has a high risk of COVID-19 spread and that in-person instruction is not advisable.
• YELLOW:Categorization as “yellow” suggests that that the county has an elevated risk of COVID-19 spread and that schools may consider additional precautions and/or hybrid instructional models as a way to reduce the number of people in schools and classrooms at any one time.
• GREEN:Categorization as “green” suggests that 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.

The Health Advisory System is a collaboration among Maine DHHS, CDC, and the Department of Education. The county-level assessments are based on both quantitative and qualitative data, including but not limited to recent case rates, positivity rates, and syndromic data (e.g., symptoms of influenza or COVID-19). Those data are publicly posted every week on the Maine CDC website. DHHS and Maine CDC also consider qualitative factors, such as the presence of outbreaks that may potentially affect school-age children.

The Health Advisory System reflects ongoing analysis of evolving data and serves as one piece of information that school and district leaders can use to make decisions about how to deliver education this fall. It generally will be updated at 12:00 pm every other Friday, and can be found on the Maine DOE website in Part I of the Framework for Reopening Schools and Returning to In-Person Classroom Instruction: https://www.maine.gov/doe/framework/part-I. The next update is scheduled for September 11, 2020.

The Maine Department of Education is pleased to announce additional flexibility for educator certification as detailed by Executive Order # 7 FY 20/21 entitled “An Order Regarding Pre-K-12 Education,” signed by Governor Mills on August 26, 2020.  As some school organizations across the state work to employ enough educators to meet the additional demands on education because of COVID-19, this executive order extends the DOE’s support of those School Administrative Units (SAUs).  Please note these new certificates, “shall be employed only as necessary to meet an identified staffing shortage and shall not be used to supplant persons who meet the underlying standards and are available and willing to work.”

Emergency Teacher Certification – This new certificate will be effective now through September 1, 2021.  A holder of this certificate must have a cleared background check (CHRC) and participate in a mentoring program.  To qualify:

• Hold a 4-year post secondary degree or the equivalent in work and/or academic experience; or
• Be enrolled in an approved teacher preparation program; or
• Hold equivalent credentials from another state or country

Educator and Administrator Certification Reciprocity – This new certificate equates full licensure for five years from date of issuance and applies to teachers, specialists, or administrators issued comparable certificates in another state or country. A cleared background check is also necessary.

To determine eligibility, please apply online for the endorsement sought.  All applications will be reviewed and, if applicants qualify for a professional or emergency certificate, it will be automatically issued.  All other applicants will receive a letter with any remaining requirements and other certificate options available to them.  Letters will be available within the online certification system as well as sent by mail.  The Certification Office is excited for this opportunity and looks forward to working with all new applicants!

For more information, please contact Stephanie Fyfe at stephanie.fyfe@maine.gov.

Dear Champions of Education,

We have been asked to re-affirm the expectations that are included in Part IV of the Framework for Reopening Schools and Returning to In-Person Instruction, as it relates to all content areas within the Maine Learning Results.

Each School Administrative Unit is required to meet the health and safety requirements and the components for hybrid and remote instruction. This includes provision of and progression within the standards found in the Maine Learning Results, and includes mathematics, English/language arts, science and engineering, social studies, visual and performing arts, health and physical education, world language, and career & education development. When combined, the Maine Learning Results provides for a well-rounded and robust learning experience that can nurture the academic, creative and social-emotional growth for all students.

While each content area presents with unique challenges in light of the safety requirements and precautions that are needed during this pandemic, the Department of Education’s content specialists, along with a number of professional organizations, have developed creative and innovative ways in which to ensure that all content areas can be taught. The ongoing professional development and technical support will assist every SAU in meeting their obligation to implement the required components for hybrid and remote instruction.

We encourage our educators and school leaders to reach out to the Department of Education content specialists with any questions or requests for support; they can share strategies and resources for integrated, remote, blended, and other creative learning options! The specialists and other resources can be found, here. Additionally, professional development/office hours are being offered, and can be accessed here.

Maine DOE Team member Shawn Lagasse is being highlighted this week as part of the Get to Know the Maine DOE Campaign. Learn a little more about Shawn in the brief question and answer below.

What are your roles with DOE?

My role in the Department is a Data Specialist for the Career Technical Education (CTE) Team. This role includes analyzing secondary data for both federal and state reporting requirements. One of my several other duties is to assist CTE schools during their new program application process.

What do you like best about your job?

I find professional satisfaction in retooling methodologies to lessen obstacles for our CTE schools while improving data accuracy.

How or why did you decide on this career?

Since I am a product of a CTE education and my college degrees are related to applied hands-on education, it felt like these attributes paired well with my 20+ years of real-world experiences with this opportunity.

What do you like to do outside of work for fun?

Oh, I enjoy the typical activities most others do when away from the office.  A spirited match of badminton is a delightful way to pass the time.

All counties remain green, but York and Penobscot closely monitored in release of color designations that reflect relative COVID-19 risk by county to assist district leaders with school planning

AUGUSTA — The Mills Administration today released an updated color coded Health Advisory System that classifies counties’ relative risk of COVID-19 transmission by color for schools as they continue with their plans to deliver instruction and support students safely this fall.

The updated assessment released today showed that all counties remain green, although Penobscot and York counties will be reassessed next Friday, September 4, to determine if they meet the threshold for yellow or red designation. Recent increasing case rates as well as open outbreaks in Penobscot and York are of concern. Data and trends from these counties will be closely monitored and reassessed early. Other counties will continue to be assessed every two weeks.

The Health Advisory System is a collaboration among the Maine Department of Education (DOE), the Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), and the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Maine CDC). The classifications were developed to categorize counties based on quantitative and qualitative data about COVID-19 including, but not limited to, recent data on case rates, positivity rates, and syndromic data (e.g., symptoms of influenza or COVID-19). This system categorizes counties by three-color based designations: red, yellow, and green.

The Health Advisory System categorizations are defined as follows:

• RED: Categorization as “red” suggests that the county has a high risk of COVID-19 spread and that in-person instruction is not advisable.
• YELLOW: Categorization as “yellow” suggests that that the county has an elevated risk of COVID-19 spread and that schools may consider additional precautions and/or hybrid instructional models as a way to reduce the number of people in schools and classrooms at any one time.
• GREEN: Categorization as “green” suggests that 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.

Regardless of their county’s red, yellow, or green designation, districts must also meet the Requirements for Safely Opening Schools to protect the safety and well-being of staff, students, and families. They fall into six categories:

1. Symptom Screenings Before Coming to School
2. Physical distancing and school facilities
3. Masks/Face Coverings
4. Hand Hygiene
5. Personal Protective Equipment
6. Return to School After Illness

The Maine CDC, in collaboration with the Maine DOE, has also released a draft Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), subject to further revisions, for schools to follow in the event of a positive case of COVID-19 at a school. The SOP provides guidance on how cases will be defined and investigated, the role of school nurses, testing recommendations, isolation and quarantine requirements, and the notification process for probable and confirmed cases, including to family members and school communities.  The SOP also addresses how public health authorities will determine close contacts for individuals if a case of COVID-19 is identified.

Maine CDC will work with School Administrative Units (SAU) to identify potential locations where students, faculty, or staff could obtain COVID-19 testing. State-sponsored sample collection sites can be

found on https://www.maine.gov/covid19/restartingmaine/keepmainehealthy/testing or https://get-tested-covid19.org.

Governor Janet Mills has also signed an Executive Order, expediting and expanding certain teaching certification requirements to ensure Maine schools have the qualified staff they need to safely reopen this fall. If necessary to respond to shortages in essential school staff, the Governor’s Executive Order authorizes the Maine DOE to provide one year emergency teaching certifications to qualified individuals. In partnership with Eastern Maine Community College, the DOE will also offer a certification for “Learning Facilitators.” These pre-teacher level staff members can staff learning centers or serve as an in-person learning assistant for a remote instruction teacher. The Executive Order also establishes health and safety requirements as well as other expectations for in-person, hybrid and remote education as defined by the Maine DOE’s Framework for Reopening Schools and Returning to In-Person Instruction which must be adopted by schools. To read the Governor’s full Executive Order, please click here.

The Health Advisory System reflects ongoing analysis of evolving data and serves as one piece of information that school and district leaders can use to make decisions about how to deliver education this fall. It generally will be updated at 12:00 pm every other Friday, and can be found on the Maine DOE website in Part I of the Framework for Reopening Schools and Returning to In-Person Classroom Instruction: https://www.maine.gov/doe/framework/part-I