Category: Health and Safety

How to use Sara Alert™ COVID-19 Monitoring System Safely and Effectively

The Maine Department of Education (DOE) contact tracing team uses Sara Alert (844) 957-2721 to monitor students and staff in PK-12 schools who have been in close contact to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19. Sara Alert is a public health system that supports the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to monitor for symptoms amongst the school population.

In an effort to ensure that Maine schools and their communities have all of the information they need to use Sara Alert™ safety and to ensure their personal information is safe while enrolled in Sara Alert™. Please disperse these helpful informational flyers to school communities statewide:

For more information email sarasupport@aimsplatform.com or visit www.saraalert.org.

Behavioral Threat Assessment Presentation for Maine Schools

The Maine School Safety Center and Dr. Karen Barnes (MSSC Threat Assessment Officer) are pleased to invite you to a presentation that will provide you with a brief overview of School Behavioral Threat Assessment as well as inform you of current efforts underway in our state to identify at-risk students and mitigate violence by providing timely and effective interventions.  Additionally, we will provide you with details pertaining to free training opportunities to develop multidisciplinary threat assessment teams in your schools.  We hope you will join us as we share our work with you thus far and our vision for the future to ensure safety in all Maine schools.

The training will be conversational with ample opportunity for questions.  This training will be followed with a second training, at a later date, hosted by REMS addressing Behavioral Threat Assessment from a National perspective.

The target audience for this training are school administrators, school staff, mental health professional, law enforcement and other school safety stakeholders.

When: Jan 29, 2021 09:00 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Register in advance for this meeting: https://mainestate.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEud-qgqjMqHtPKjVEuelS4ae57ANl5sxU_

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

For further information or questions please contact Maine DOE Coordinator of School Safety and Security Rob Susi at robert.w.susi@maine.gov.

Virtual Presentation 1/13 – Returning to School: Mitigation and Mental Health Strategies

On behalf of the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE), Office of Safe and Supportive Schools (OSSS), the National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments (NCSSLE) invites you to please join a presentation by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on how to optimize mitigation strategies and mental health to facilitate a safe return to schools in the new year.

Date: Wednesday, January 13, 2021
Time: 3:00-4:00 pm EST

The presentation will include 1) user-friendly tools and information for schools to inform the selection and implementation of COVID-19 mitigation strategies; and 2) information about how to support and promote mental health for students and school staff, both in-person and virtually.

Speakers

Cria Perrine, PhD, is a Commander in the U.S. Public Health Service and an epidemiologist in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. Dr. Perrine joined CDC in 2008 as part of the Epidemic Intelligence Service, CDC’s front-line training program of “disease detectives.” She is currently serving as the Task Force Lead for the Community Interventions and Critical Populations Task Force in CDC’s COVID-19 response.

Marci Hertz, M.S. Ed., Senior Behavioral Scientist, Division of Adolescent and School Health, CDC. Since 2003 Ms. Hertz has worked for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as a Lead Behavioral Scientist in the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control and in the Division of Adolescent and School Health (DASH). She is currently a Senior Behavioral Scientist in DASH focusing on promoting mental health and preventing substance use and violence in school settings.

Registration

Everyone must register for the interactive presentation using the link below in order to gain access to the meeting room.

https://air-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_kAeRfoqNQS63Fvq6NTLI7w

Please contact NCSSLE if you have any questions, contact information is provided below. We look forward to sharing this information with you and hearing from you about the important work you are doing in your schools, communities, and states to meet the needs of your students and staff as they return to school either in person or virtually.

National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments (NCSSLE)
American Institutes for Research
Phone: 800.258.8413
Email: NCSSLE@air.org
Website: http://safesupportivelearning.ed.gov

Dec. 10 Webinar: Maine Ethnic Community Based Organizations Share Connection & Social Support Services Available During COVID-19

A coalition of Maine’s Ethnic Community Based Organizations (ECBO) will share the structure, content, and scope of the work they are doing to support their communities, particularly during the pandemic.

The presentation will provide an overview of the Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Social Services, including demonstrating how to make referrals for clients/students, what happens when there is an outbreak at school, and cultural brokering vs. Interpreter line.

The presentation will also cover the following topics:

  • Identifying communities to connect families with,
  • cultural differences to be mindful of,
  • describing support ECBOs can offer schools/ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) teachers outside of COVID-19 work, and
  • provide an overview and the objectives of the NMEN (New Mainers Education Needs) Group and the Lewiston and Auburn taskforce.

The webinar will also provide time for questions and answers.

Details about how to participate in the webinar can be found below:

Date: Thursday, December 10th

Time: 3:00 PM

Register here: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=q6g_QX0gYkubzeoajy-GTrgYxcYZ8OtAsEUkw8o3VCdUNjYxOFJOUkdWOFZLSDBXNTMyNzNDWERTVC4u

If you have any questions, contact April Perkins, Director of ESOL/Bilingual Programs, at april.perkins@maine.gov.

 

Free Webinar: Addressing Challenges and Safety Concerns for Non-attending or Truant Students

The Maine Department of Education’s(DOE) Maine School Safety Center (MSSC) is pleased to offer a webinar concerning Maine schools’ current challenges and concerns for students that are non-attending or truant. The webinar will offer an opportunity for school and district staff to talk about their current concerns and issues in a forum style webinar, where stakeholder experts will be available to inform and answer questions.  Present at the webinar will be representatives from the legal field, school administration, law enforcement, and the Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to walk through the legal and practical process of connecting with and re-engaging students and their families.

The two hour presentation will be hosted on December 15 from 3:00-5:00 PM.  The target audience includes school administrators, school staff, law enforcement, and DHHS staff, and other interested stakeholders.  Each presenter will explain their agency’s role, authority and assistance, and they will collaboratively address comprehensive solutions to obtain the best results for students. This will be an excellent opportunity for learning and discussion.

Please see the following registration and participation instructions:

When: Dec 15, 2020 03:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Topic: DOE/MSSC Attendance Forum

Register in advance for this webinar: https://mainestate.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ljcp9ZEoTbGRbOZ9D439xA

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. For further questions contact the Maine School Safety Center.

Developing Emergency Operations Plans (EOPs) preK-12 101 Train-the-Trainer (TtT)

An overview of recommended planning processes and key considerations for creating, revising, or enhancing school emergency operations plans (school EOPs)

The REMS TA Center is excited to offer the NEW Developing Emergency Operations Plans (EOPs) preK-12 101 Train-the-Trainer (TtT) Training, Virtual Training by Request (VTBR) created in partnership with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Safe and Supportive Schools (OSSS). This 2.5-hour training presents important Federal guidance on school emergency management
planning.

TRAINING DESCRIPTION

Each school day, our nation’s schools are entrusted to provide a safe and healthy learning environment for approximately 55 million elementary and secondary school students in public and nonpublic schools. In June 2013, the Obama Administration released the Guide for Developing High-Quality School Emergency Operations Plans (School Guide) which provides an overview of Federal guidance on school emergency management planning.

The School Guide, produced by the U.S. Departments of Education; Justice, led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Homeland Security, led by the Federal Emergency Management Agency; and Health and Human Services, incorporates lessons learned from events, like the school shooting in Newtown and the tornadoes in Oklahoma, as well as years of emergency planning work by the Federal government, to present a recommended process, important content elements, and key considerations for school emergency operations plan (EOP) development.

In collaboration with their local government and community partners, schools can take steps to plan for these potential emergencies through the creation of a high-quality school EOP. With this preK-12 101 TtT VTBR, an expert team will train potential master trainers on the recommended six-step planning process to create a high quality school EOP, which includes the following:

Step 1: Forming a Collaborative Planning Team
Step 2: Understanding the Situation
Step 3: Determining Goals and Objectives
Step 4: Plan Development
Step 5: Plan Preparation, Review, and Approval
Step 6: Plan Implementation and Maintenance

Pre- and -post training activities will provide guidance on how this training is relevant to emergency operations planning and assist with the implementation of what is learned.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?

Potential master trainers from participating schools and districts responsible for training site-based planning teams interested in creating, revising, or enhancing school EOPs; school staff who serve, or will serve, on their school or school district’s EOP planning team; and other interested community stakeholders, including first responders, emergency medical services personnel, law
enforcement, and others.

TRAINING DETAILS

When: Monday, November 30, 2020
Time: 9:30 a.m. ET to 12:00 p.m. ET
Training Link: https://seiservices.zoom.us/j/99674882570
Cost: NO CHARGE
Register for this virtual training session online at: https://www.remstacenter.org/TBR/TrainingRegistration.aspx?trainingsid=5354
Registration for this event closes on Friday, November 27, 2020 at 5:00 p.m. (ET).

If you have questions or need additional assistance, please contact REMS TA Center at (855) 781-REMS (7367) or info@remstacenter.org.

MEDIA RELEASE: Bonny Eagle Middle School Nurse Named 2020/2021 School Nurse of the Year

The Maine Association of School Nurses (MASN) recently announced that Donna Jordan from Bonny Eagle Middle School is the 2020/2021 Maine School Nurse of the Year. This award acknowledges a member of the MASN who demonstrates excellence in school nursing practice, and leadership in the profession.

“Our School Nurses are true heroes, and work tirelessly to ensure the health and safety of everyone in their school community,” said Maine DOE Commissioner Pender Makin. ” Congratulations to Mrs. Jordan on this tremendous honor, in a time that is so very demanding of school nurses in particular.”

Mrs. Jordan started her school nursing career 15 years ago at Bonny Eagle Middle School and continues to work there today. She is a trusted medical figure within her middle school community – not just among students, but also among staff. She has been described by one colleague as the “staple health professional” in a building of over 800 students and 100 staff members. Her school principal describes her as “a true professional who brings all she is to her position.”

In her career at Bonny Eagle Middle School, Mrs. Jordan has worked tirelessly as a champion for multiple causes. Her influence at the school and within the district is seen through committee appointments at the local and state level, in her training and educational roles, and as the recipient of several funded grants. She maintains professional membership in both the National Association of School Nurses (NASN) and the Maine Association of School Nurses (MASN) and has served on the board of MASN for the past five years as treasurer. As one supporter stated, “she is a natural born leader…perceptive, caring, extremely bright, and always willing to go the extra mile for her school children and for her peers.”

“I am so proud of the way school nurses have taken on the incredible challenges of the Coronavirus,” added Makin. “Their knowledge, experience, and grace has been vital to the emergency preparedness partnerships in Maine schools across the state.”

For more information about past School Nurses of the Year, or how to nominate someone in your school community, visit the MASN website.

 

Community Learning for ME Offers November Wellness Wednesdays for Educators

Community Learning for ME will be hosting wellness related workshops and activities for teachers on Wednesdays in November.  All workshops are FREE to attend and participants will receive contact hours for participation in live sessions.

November 4th, 11th and 18th:

  • 7:15 – 7:30 AM – Start your day with a meditation session, physical activity or a good laugh.
  • 12:00 & 3:00 PM- Workshop sessions to provide teachers with a variety of practical and applicable wellness resources.

Self-Care is never selfish! For more information and to sign up visit Community Learning for ME or contact Megan Leach, Communications and Content Coordinator for Rural Asperations at megan@ruralaspirations.org.

Maine Integrated Youth Health Survey Administration Postponed

Dear Superintendents and Principals,

The Maine Integrated Youth Health Survey (MIYHS) has been conducted in the February of odd-numbered years since 2009, with the next administration due in February 2021. Given the extraordinary circumstances due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the MIYHS will be postponed to Fall 2021. With a significant portion of students learning remotely in some capacity, high quality data collection is not feasible for the 2020-2021 academic year. Postponing the survey will reduce the burden on schools and increase the chances of securing high quality data on students’ mental, physical, social, and emotional health.

We ask for your help in making the fall 2021 MIYHS successful by registering to participate early. Our partner, Pan Atlantic Research, will send out Fall 2021 registration information this winter. We are also excited to announce that select schools will have the option to conduct their surveys online next fall! Please stay tuned for more information.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Jean Zimmerman at jean.zimmerman@maine.gov or Korey Pow at korey.pow@maine.gov.

Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) and Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Strategies for Covid-19

This information has been provided by the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation, & Forestry.

IAQ and IPM strategies for Microbial Pests

October is bringing predictably cooler temperatures, which means we’ll all be spending more time indoors. Indoor air quality (IAQ) is well known to affect human health and academic performance, but the pandemic has brought renewed attention. Now is a good time to take a second look at both ventilation systems and cleaning/disinfecting protocols to make sure all processes are working optimally and that staff have completed the necessary training.

Ventilation and Filtration

Our understanding of coronavirus has evolved in the past ten months, and we now know that people can become infected merely by sharing air, especially in close quarters. While wearing masks, installing barriers, reducing occupancy, and holding classrooms outdoors are good strategies, schools are also implementing additional ventilation and air filtration processes to reduce risk of disease transmission while also improving overall indoor air quality. Ventilation and filtration of indoor air may be at least as important, if not more so, than surface disinfection for reducing the risk of COVID-19 transmission1,2. And, with increased use of cleaning and disinfectant products, it is especially important to ensure that indoor spaces are adequately ventilated.

The simplest way to increase ventilation is to open screened windows and doors for cross-ventilation of indoor spaces, if doing so does not compromise safety or interfere with normal operation of ventilation systems. This is less ideal as temperatures drop, but may offer a temporary way to improve IAQ (and reduce risk of coronavirus transmission) in buses and some classrooms.

Portable air cleaners can also help. Environmental engineers at the University of Colorado Boulder and Harvard have created a guide on selection and use of portable air cleaners for schools.

Environmental engineers also recommend increasing settings on mechanical ventilation systems to six to nine fresh air exchanges per hour, if possible. When more people are in a space, the air exchange rate should be at the higher settings. The American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) provides detailed checklists and comprehensive guidance on ventilation and filtration to help schools slow transmission of viruses and improve indoor air quality via HVAC systems in ‘Reopening of Schools and Universities’. Consult with your HVAC specialist before making any changes to operation of your HVAC system.

Image Credit: Yale School of Public Health ()https://publichealth.yale.edu/research/covid-19/schools/spaces/

Additional Resources

References Cited

1Goldman, E. 2020. Exaggerated risk of transmission of COVID-19 by fomites. The Lancet 20 (8): 892-893

2Sy, S. and F. Carlson. How a Focus on Cleaning Can Distract from Actual Virus Spread. PBS NewsHour. Sept 22, 2020

Cleaning and Disinfection

Selecting the right cleaning and disinfecting products and using them correctly is critical to the health and safety of the people in your care—including your own staff. Some products may pose unnecessary health risks, may be ineffective against coronavirus, and/or are not permitted for use in Maine schools. Avoid learning after the purchase, that the sales rep was misinformed about Maine’s regulations or was making false claims.

Before purchasing any products, obtain and read both the product label and Safety Data Sheet (SDS) and verify that the products under consideration are permitted for use and will be appropriate for the intended purpose. For disinfectants and sanitizers, the product label has instructions on how and where to use the product, what PPE may be required, the required contact time, and more. You must read and follow the label! Disinfectant labels are legal documents that clearly state, “It is a violation of Federal law to use this product in a manner inconsistent with its labeling.” The SDS has additional chemical safety information but lacks the critical information found only on the product label. Obtain the product label from your distributor or contact the Maine Board of Pesticides Control.

Because many disinfecting and sanitizing products share similar trade names, refer to the product’s unique identifier—the EPA Registration Number (EPA Reg. No.) found on the label. Keep a copy of both the product’s label and the SDS in your school’s pest activity logbook, along with a written record of were, why, how and by whom, these sanitizing or disinfectant pesticides are used in your schools.

Using Electrostatic or Other Powered Sprayers? Governor Mills issued Executive Order 7 FY20/21, temporarily suspending some pesticide applicator licensing requirements, thus permitting the unlicensed use of powered sprayers for routine disinfection by qualified staff. To qualify for this temporary exemption personnel must complete School Disinfectant Applicator Training and the associated on-line exam to receive a certificate.

Non-school employees, including contracted cleaning services and bus drivers are not included in this license exemption and must have a full Commercial Pesticide Applicator’s license for powered disinfectant application. All other pesticide applications on school properties, powered or not, also require a Commercial Pesticide Applicators license. Contact the Maine Board of Pesticides Control for more information.

Additional Resources

Training

alling new IPM Coordinators! 

All School IPM Coordinators must complete the Initial Training Module and the Comprehensive IPM Training one time.

  • The next Comprehensive IPM Training  will be offered via webinar Friday October 30, 8:00-11:00 AM. REGISTER NOW. Note: This webinar will be recorded and available for on-demand viewing later.

 

  • Initial IPM Training, provides an overview of Maine’s School IPM requirements (always available on-demand).

After completion of these two trainings, you must also earn one hour of IPM continuing education/year. Credit can be earned by viewing webinars, presentations and videos related to school IPM such as the webinars listed below.

Additional Training Opportunities

October 20, 2020, 1:00-2:30 PM ET. Cleaning up after Rodent Infestations. Register Now.

October 22, 2020, 1:00-2:30 PM ET. New Tools to Assess and Address IAQ Health and Safety. Register Now.

Questions/Comments? Contact us!
Email: kathy.murray@maine.gov
Phone: 207-287-7616

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