Category: Health and Safety

MEDIA RELEASE: School Nutrition Programs to Feed Children Beyond School Year with Summer Food Service Program

AUGUSTA — With the assistance of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Maine public schools have long offered a nutritious breakfast and lunch meal program to thousands of children in Maine during the school year. During the pandemic, many flexibilities were put into place to ensure children had access to complementary meals while learning remotely from home or attending school in person.

We applaud those who worked tirelessly to provide food to children during a challenging school year. With summer right around the corner, that important service will continue in many areas of Maine. The Summer Food Service Program, a program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, operates at hundreds of sites across Maine to ensure children get the nutrition they need.

“Maine’s National School Lunch Programs are an invaluable lifeline to our students for whom schools are a much needed and consistent source for food.” said Maine Department of Education Commissioner Pender Makin. “The Summer Food Service Program helps schools continue to provide this critical resource to Maine students through the summer months, and we are committed to assisting schools and communities as they address the needs of the whole child.”

The Summer Food Service Program may be offered statewide in areas or at sites where more than 50 percent of the children are eligible for free or reduced meal benefits under the National School Lunch Program or where census track data supports the need. This summer, area eligibility waivers have allowed sites to operate in areas that have need due to the COVID-19 public health emergency. Eligible sponsoring organizations include schools, nonprofit residential summer camps, government agencies, and tax-exempt organizations including faith-based organizations.

In July 2020, 112 sponsors participated in the program, serving meals at 730 sites throughout the state. Sponsors operate open sites in all 16 counties in Maine; anyone 18 and under may come to eat at no cost. Many sponsors will be utilizing USDA flexibilities which allow meals to be consumed off site to promote physical distancing and are offering innovative delivery and service models to meet the demand safely.

To find nearby Summer Meal sites, please visit USDA’s Summer Meal Site Finder website at: https://www.fns.usda.gov/meals4kids, text “Summer Meals” to 97779 or call Maine 211.

Updated information will be available late-June.

For more information about the Maine DOE’s Summer Food Service Program, contact adriane.ackroyd@maine.gov, call 592-1722 or visit https://www.maine.gov/doe/schools/nutrition/programs/sfsp.

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In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA.

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g. Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.), should contact the Agency (State or local) where they applied for benefits.  Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.  Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.

To file a program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, (AD-3027) found online at: http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html, and at any USDA office, or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by:

(1)     mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410;
(2)      fax: (202) 690-7442; or
(3)      email: program.intake@usda.gov.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

The Maine Human Rights Act prohibits discrimination because of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, religion, ancestry or national origin.

Complaints of discrimination must be filed at the office of the Maine Human Rights Commission, 51 State House Station, Augusta, Maine 04333-0051. If you wish to file a discrimination complaint electronically, visit the Human Rights Commission website at https://www.maine.gov/mhrc/file/instructions and complete an intake questionnaire. Maine is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Students Against Destructive Decisions Offers Free Programming to Maine Schools

Students Against Destructive Decisions is expanding its reach throughout the state and offering all educational institutions free access to resources on mobility safety; substance use and prevention; mental health and wellness; and leadership and engagement. SADD offers students the chance to make big changes in their communities and improve the culture and climate of their schools through peer-to-peer education. SADD”s programming is evidence based, student led, and completely free.

For more information about how to start a SADD chapter at your school, please contact Christina Schechtman at cschechtman@SADD.org. For more information about SADD, visit www.SADD.org.

Notice of Concussion Workgroup (LD 104)

As directed by L.D. 104, An Act to Protect the Health of Student Athletes by Requiring the Department of Education to Report on the Incidence of Concussions which was signed into law by Governor Mills on March 17, 2021, the Department of Education’s Concussion Workgroup is expanding its work. The law requires that the Department work with the Maine Principals’ Association to use existing or new collection methods in order to report on the incidence of concussion in Maine schools. The Department, together with the Maine Principals’ Association is pleased to continue working with the Maine Association of School Nurses and Maine Concussion Management Initiative (MCMI) as the Concussion Workgroup. The recent directive from the Maine Legislature instructs the Department to report to the Education and Cultural Affairs Legislative Committee annually, beginning in January 2022, on any available data on the incidence of concussions sustained by student athletes in the state using existing or new data collection systems. The report must include recommendations on best practices for the collection of such data.

The Head Injury Tracker (HIT) was developed by MCMI 2013 with the goal of providing schools with an ability to identify high-risk activities for brain injuries by tracking patterns of concussions within their school systems. The HIT platform, available at no cost, provides schools with an easy, confidential, and secure method of collecting concussion data for their students. The HIT website serves many purposes including protecting the propriety and confidentiality of the data collected, providing a platform for reporting concussion data to the State, and potentially a tool for schools to compare their risk analysis with other schools throughout the state.

The HIT website was developed with the importance of concussion reporting in mind and can be easily implemented and utilized at all institutions throughout the state. The website allows for multiple individuals, not just the athletic trainer or school nurse, at a school to enter the data allowing for easy tracking and communication surrounding a student’s recovery. Additionally, the data collected from the HIT website can be used to detail the impact a head injury has on a student’s academic, athletic, and personal experiences. In order for us to identify the impact of concussion on students, we must collect data. As we learn more, we will work together in this ongoing effort to improve academic and social emotional outcomes for all students with head injuries.

The Concussion Workgroup looks forward to working together on this initiative with the understanding that this is a long-term effort to improve outcomes for students who experience head injury. Over the next several months you can expect to see more educational opportunities for school personnel on recognizing a head injury, documentation, and tracking with the Head Injury Tracker (HIT).   We are working to develop a cadre of 25 schools that will work toward implementation in the fall of 2021, knowing that the larger goal is for all schools to participate.

For more information on concussion management in Maine schools please visit: https://www.maine.gov/doe/schools/safeschools/healthed/concussion

If you have questions about these efforts, please contact Emily.Poland@maine.gov .

MEDIA RELEASE: Three Maine Schools Win a Brand New $100K DON’T QUIT!® Fitness Center

Today, Governor Janet Mills and fitness icon Jake (Body by Jake) Steinfeld, Chairman of the National Foundation for Governors’ Fitness Councils (NFGFC), announced three Maine schools have won a state-of-the-art $100,000 DON’T QUIT! Fitness Center. The multi-million dollar DON’T QUIT! Campaign has selected Deer Isle-Stonington Elementary School in Deer Isle, Gorham Middle School in Gorham and SeDoMoCha School in Dover-Foxcroft for new fitness centers in recognition of their commitment to the health of their students.

“The last year has proven just how important investing in the health of our students is to keeping our state strong,” said Governor Mills. “I congratulate these deserving schools on being selected to receive a state of the art fitness center and I thank them for their commitment to the health and well-being of Maine children. These centers would not be possible without the generosity of the National Foundation for Governors’ Fitness Councils and Mr. Steinfeld and I thank them for their investment in the children of Maine.”

“We had an overwhelming response from elementary and middle schools throughout the great state of Maine. None of this would have been possible without the incredible support of Governor Mills, who helped make this campaign a huge success by putting the health and well-being of children first,” said Mr. Steinfeld.  “Three schools really embodied our mission of building a nation of the fittest, healthiest kids in the world.  I’m thrilled to announce that Deer Isle-Stonington Elementary School, Gorham Middle School and SeDoMoCha School are all being awarded a brand new $100,000 DON’T QUIT! Fitness Center. Congratulations to all, we look forward to visiting these three schools during our ribbon cutting ceremonies this fall!”

Each fitness center is financed through public/private partnerships with companies like The Coca-Cola Company, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation, Wheels Up and Nike, and does not rely on taxpayer dollars or state funding. Fitness in Motion provides all the fitness equipment, which is manufactured right here in the United States. The foundation’s goal is to build a nation of the fittest, healthiest kids in the world.

These state-of-the-art DON’T QUIT! Fitness Centers will be unveiled during ribbon cutting ceremonies this fall. This year, the NFGFC program will have completed 40 states and will make its way into all 50 states in the coming years.

For more information about the National Foundation, visit www.natgovfit.org.

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Maine DOE Hosts COVID-19 Vaccine Information Sessions with Maine Physicians, Infectious Disease Experts

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) has been hosting information sessions with Maine physicians who are experts on COVID-19 vaccines and infectious diseases to help educate school populations about the COVID-19 vaccines available to school aged youth.

The most recent session was held Tuesday, May 18th with Jennifer Jubulis, MD, a Pediatric Infectious Disease Physician at Maine Medical Center and Kyle Massey, PharmD, BCIDP, an Infectious Disease Pharmacist at Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center.

The previous two COVID-19 Vaccine Information sessions are available at:

With school districts across Maine now in the midst of scheduling and hosting COVID-19 clinics for students that are eligible for the vaccine, the above information sessions can be helpful in answering questions that school staff and communities may have about the health and safety of students taking the vaccine.

The Department extends a enormous thank you to school districts that have been able to arrange clinics so far. For school and district staff seeking further information about COVID-19 vaccines or hosting a clinic please contact Maine DOE School Nurse Consultant Emily Poland at emily.poland@maine.gov.

The Rugged Road to Recovery: Voices of Hope Docuseries

In a 12-part video series SEED (Students Empowered to End Dependency) interviews young people who have struggled with Substance Abuse Disorder (SUD). Most are now participating in recovery programs that have enabled them to pursue a healthy lifestyle. The series also speaks with several medical experts to explore the science behind the disease model of chemical dependency and features many Maine people on the front lines helping those suffering from Substance Use Disorder as different recovery methods are explored.

The series premiered on on local TV stations in late April early May and is now available on the Voices of Hope and Recovery Website.

Learn more and watch the trailer, and watch the first three episodes here

SEED is a coalition of students and adults from 5 school systems and the Scarborough Police Department.  The five school systems participating in this project are Bath, Gorham, Scarborough, Windham, and Yarmouth.

Thank you to the sponsors: Pineland Farms Natural Meats, General Dynamics Bath Iron Works, and Jobs for Maine Graduates (JMG).

For questions, comments, or sponsorship inquiries, please contact David Packhem at voicesofhope.ep@gmail.com

 

May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month – Free Materials for Schools

The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention has partnered with more than 35 agencies and organizations throughout Maine to promote the awareness of Lyme Disease and educate as many people as possible about prevention efforts. The 2021 Lyme Disease Awareness Month theme is “Stop. Check. Prevent.”  This reminds us to stop and practice tick prevention measures frequently. The easiest way to avoid tickborne diseases is preventing tick bites. Please remember to:

  1. Use caution in areas where ticks may be found.
  2. Wear light-colored clothing that covers arms and legs.
  3. Use an EPA approved repellent such as: DEET, picaridin, IR3535, or oil of lemon eucalyptus.
  4. Perform tick checks on yourself, family members, and pets daily and after any outdoor activity. Take a shower after exposure to a tick habitat to wash off any crawling ticks.

In Maine, adults over the age of 65 years and children between the ages of 5 and 15 years are at highest risk of Lyme disease. People that work or play outside are also at high risk of encountering infected ticks. It is also important to be aware that Lyme disease is not the only disease that deer ticks in Maine can carry. Read Complete Announcement from MeCDC here…

Maine CDC has free downloadable curriculum resources available on their website. These Vectorborne School Curricula Materials include modules and resources for grades 3 – 8 with updated resources for remote learning (one focuses on mosquitoes and another on ticks). There are also materials that schools may order for use with students, both at school as well as home, including Tick ID Posters, Lyme Disease Brochures and much more on the Maine CDC Infectious Disease website.

This year the Maine DOE, in partnership with the Maine CDC and Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, are making available free education kits for Tick, Mosquito, and other pests. These kits are great for schools and include tick removal spoons, identification cards and fact sheets to the first 150 who request one. To request yours, complete this form.

For more information on Lyme Disease Awareness Month go to this Maine CDC website. For more information on the Tick, Mosquito, and Other Pest educational kits contact cristina.stade@maine.gov.

 

MEMA Hosting Mobile COVID-19 Vaccination Unit in Waterville May 9-12

Maine Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) will be hosting a Mobile COVID-19 Vaccination Unit in Waterville May 9-12. The site will be using the one-shot J&J vaccine, and have the capacity to do 400-500 vaccinations per day. Registration and other information is available below.

The Maine Department of Education is sharing this information with Maine schools and districts so that they can share it with their school communities.

When:

  • Sunday, May 9 from 10:00am-4:30pm
  • Monday, May 10 from 8:30am – 4:30pm
  • Tuesday, May 11 from 8:30am – 4:30pm
  • Wednesday, May 12 from 8:30am – 4:30pm

Location: La Fleur Airport, 2 LaFleur Road Walterville (map)

Registration:  call the Community Vaccination Line at 1-888-445-4111 or go online at VaccinateME.Maine.gov

Transportation assistance:  

  • MaineCare call 1-844-736-7847  (Penquis CAP)
  • Non-MaineCare call 1-855-608-5172 (ModivCare)
  • rides must be requested at least 48 hours before the scheduled appointment

Assistance for Seniors and Disabled Adults:   Spectrum Generations, 1-800-639-1553

On-call list:  

  • There are sometimes doses left at the end of the day that we don’t want to waste, so we’d like to have an on-call list.  Calls will likely go out around 4pm for people to get to the airport by 4:30pm.
  • If you are interested in having your organization called when we have these doses, please send me your contact information.

Information on the J&J (Janssen) vaccine:

PSA with three Maine Doctors: (including Barbara Crowley, retired from MaineGeneral):  https://youtu.be/SNvFBVGbDOA

General COVID-19 questions go to 211 Maine:

 

PRIORITY NOTICE: School Year 2022 Nationwide Waivers Available for Schools and Day Care Facilities to Support Safe Reopening and Nutritious Meals  

Maine Department of Education (DOE) is thrilled to share that USDA has released twelve additional Nationwide Waivers for SY 2022.  These are meant to support the safe reopening of facilities while providing nutritious meals for children and adolescents. The new waivers can be accessed here.   

Maine DOE’s Child Nutrition team is reading through the waivers carefully in order to provide the best support to the field. As some of these are different from those issued in the past. We support the action of USDA to release waivers to support the safe provision of nutritious meals for Maine students. These waivers will allow students all over the state to access meals and will provide much needed flexibilities during the current public health emergency.    

More information will be provided by Child Nutrition Director Walter Beesley on Wednesday, April 28th at 1:00. Those interested can register for the webinar  

For questions regarding these USDA nationwide waivers, contact Walter Beesley, Child Nutrition Director, at 207-624-6875 walter.beesley@maine.gov.  

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In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA.  

 Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g. Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.), should contact the Agency (State or local) where they applied for benefits.  Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.  Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English. 

 To file a program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, (AD-3027) found online at: https://www.usda.gov/oascr/how-to-file-a-program-discrimination-complaint, and at any USDA office, or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: 

 (1)     mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture
          Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
          1400 Independence Avenue, SW
          Washington, D.C. 20250-9410;
 (2)      fax: (202) 690-7442; or  
 (3)      email: program.intake@usda.gov. 

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
The Maine Human Rights Act prohibits discrimination because of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, religion, ancestry or national origin.
Complaints of discrimination must be filed at the office of the Maine Human Rights Commission, 51 State House Station, Augusta, Maine 04333-0051. If you wish to file a discrimination complaint electronically, visit the Human Rights Commission website at https://www.maine.gov/mhrc/file/instructions and complete an intake questionnaire. Maine is an equal opportunity provider and employer. 

PRIORITY NOTICE: Reminder to April Vacation Travelers – Test for COVID-19 Upon Return

Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Commissioner Jeanne Lambrew released an important reminder in the Bangor Daily News recently for Maine students and families traveling during April vacation, and noted that our case numbers, and the number of young people getting sick from COVID-19 is on the rise.  The Maine Department of Education would like to underscore her important message to all members of Maine’s school communities, as we urge everyone to help keep our students and schools safe after April vacation week.

COVID-19 is a well-known world traveler. Variants of concern previously identified from the United Kingdom, Brazil and South Africa have been detected in Maine. People traveling have been known to cause outbreaks, often unknowingly, once they return home if they’re not yet experiencing symptoms.

This is why testing for COVID-19 remains critical. Getting a test is simple, free and protects you, your family and your community. It identifies people infected by the virus early, often before symptoms appear. And getting a test when you have a fever, headache, chills, fatigue or difficulty breathing allows you to determine if you have allergies, a common cold or if this is the highly contagious and serious virus. If you test positive, you can isolate to limit the number of additional people infected. You can save lives.

For these reasons, Maine currently requires people traveling to states outside of New England to “test or quarantine.” This means that you must quarantine for 10 days upon return to Maine unless you obtain and receive a negative COVID-19 test from a sample taken no longer than 72 hours prior to arrival. Maine strongly urges testing prior to arrival; however, for people who test upon arrival in Maine, it is important that you quarantine while you await your test results.

This is especially important for families traveling during the April vacation. COVID-19 transmission in Maine schools is lower than in the rest of the population, thanks to the health and safety protocols Maine schools have consistently followed since last summer. That said, children are still catching and spreading the virus. And a COVID-19 vaccine has not yet been authorized for children under age 16.

The best type of COVID test is a molecular or “PCR” test. The results may take a little longer, but PCR tests have proven to be highly accurate. Rapid “antigen” tests work well for people with symptoms. Such tests may also be used several days in a row — called “serial” testing — as a screening tool. A number of Maine school districts will be offering rapid tests at the end of next week before school resumes on April 26 and again early that week as a way to screen for COVID-19 as people return from the break.

COVID-19 testing in Maine is free of charge. It is available at locations throughout the state, from health care clinics to pharmacies. Learn where you can get a test by visiting the state’s Keep Maine Healthy website or calling 211.

Being fully vaccinated — meaning two weeks after your final dose — exempts you from the need to get a COVID-19 test or quarantine if you travel. You also don’t need to test if you have had COVID-19 in the last 90 days and recovered. We urge everyone age 16 and older to get vaccinated now. Appointments can be found by visiting VaccinateME.Maine.gov, or calling Maine’s Community Vaccination Line at 888-445-4111.

In addition to testing and vaccination, please continue to take the simple steps that have protected the health and safety of Maine people throughout the pandemic: Wearing a mask, physical distancing, washing hands and staying home if you don’t feel well. These measures remain vital whether you’re at home, out in your community or traveling for a well-deserved vacation during the break from school next week.