Androscoggin, Cumberland, Oxford, and York counties remain yellow; all others designated green

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

The Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Maine CDC) continue to review evidence that indicates lower transmission of COVID-19 in schools compared to the general population. Over the last 30 days, the rate of new cases is 27 per 10,000 staff and students, compared to 113 per 10,000 people statewide. This rate of new cases in schools is 24% of the statewide rate for the general population.

DHHS and Maine CDC assessed COVID-19 data and trends for all counties and released the following designations:

• REMAIN YELLOW: Androscoggin, Cumberland, Oxford, and York counties continue to see increases in both 14-day new case rates per 10,000 people and positivity rates, exceeding the statewide averages.
• REMAIN GREEN, REMOVED ASTERISKS: Aroostook County’s positivity rate continues to be above the state average, but its new case rate per 10,000 people has remained steady and is now below the statewide average. Penobscot County’s positivity rate and 14-day new case rate per 10,000 people have fallen below the statewide averages.

All other counties remain in the green designation.

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.

These designations are made out of an abundance of caution and for the consideration of school administrative units in their decisions to deliver instruction.

It is essential that school districts 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 designation.

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 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 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 during the school year. The qualitative and quantitative considerations and data used by the CDC in determining community transmission risk levels for schools can be located here: How County Risk Levels for Maine Schools are Determined

The Health Advisory System 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 will be provided on January 29, 2021. Updating this advisory on a two-week basis aligns with the incubation period for COVID-19 and allows for greater stability in the trend data for small counties.

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Even as the horrific events unfolded on Wednesday, January 6th in Washington D.C., Maine Department of Education’s social studies content specialist, Joe Schmidt was connecting with teachers from across Maine as they prepared for the conversations that were sure to follow in our classrooms.  

We know that the conversations at the end of the week were the first steps in an ongoing journey of making meaning and finding solutions, for our students and our country.  

In the coming weeks, we will continue to see the implications of the historic and unprecedented events that took place, as well as the ongoing search for understanding, healing and growing. Our schools have always been places in which we encourage collaboration, dialogue and learning, and now more than ever these skills will be critically important to foster in, and model for, our children. 

Some suggested considerations are provided below to help educators as you continue to support students and one another in this tumultuous time.  

• Create a safe space for sharing
• Establish and ensure classroom norms are being followed 
• Ask students what they understand or have seen (some parents may have shielded younger children, for example) 
• Don’t assume or force awareness or a desire to discuss  
• Consider your resources for balance, developmental appropriateness 
• Focus on video footage and pictures, while trying to avoid commentary and opinion pieces. 
• Have students look for contemporary and historical comparisons when possible 
• Ask students what they see and how they feel 
• Allow students to discuss feelings, or ask questions and carefully monitor norms 
• Examine headlines from around the world and discuss how and why this day is represented 
• Check in with students frequently in the coming weeks and engage supports for them as needed 
• Check in with colleagues, administration and families as partners in the discussion 

We understand that what happened on January 6 was an intersection of multiple parts of our republic at work. With this in mind, the resources below have been sorted into different categories, depending on the type of support you are looking for and the topics you wish to address in your classroom. 

Resources for Talking About Difficult Topics:
Courageous Conversations About Contentious Topics from the Maine DOE
Specifically Focus On: 

• Guide for Setting Ground Rules 
• Creating a Classroom Contract (Lesson from Facing History and Ourselves) 
• Speak Up for Civility (Classroom contract from Teaching Tolerance) 
• Fostering Civil Discourse: A Guide for Classroom Conversations (From Facing History and Ourselves) 
• Teaching About Controversial or Difficult Issues (From the Morningside Center for Teaching Social Responsibility) 
• Civil Discourse in the Classroom (From Teaching Tolerance) 
• Your Roadmap for Teaching Controversial Issues (From iCivics) 
• Seven Ways to Teach Civil Discourse to Students 

• An Age-by-Age Guide on How to Talk About Difficult Topics with Your Children 
• Talking to Children About Violence: Tips for Parents and Teachers 
• When Bad Things Happen: How to Discuss with Students 
• Responding to Tragedy: Resources for Educators and Parents 
• Creating Civic Spaces in Troubling Times 
• Big Paper: Building a Silent Conversation or Remote Learning Version 

Resources Specific to the 1/6/21 Insurrection 

• Navigating Unprecedented Historical Events 
• How to Engage Students in Civil Discourse Following Events at the U.S. Capitol 
• Insurgency at the U.S. Capitol: A Dreaded, Real-Life Lesson Facing Teachers 
• How to Teach the U.S. Capitol Attack  
• Responding to the Insurrection at the U.S. Capitol
• January 6th, 2021 Resource Guide from New York City Department of Education
• Classroom resource: Three ways to teach the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol 
• Leading Conversations After the Insurrection in Washington D.C. 
• Attack on the Capitol/ Insurrection in Washington, DC on January 6, 2021 (Lesson from Mikva Challenge) 
• Resources for teachers on the days after the attack on the U.S. Capitol 

Talking About Foundations of Democracy 

• Foundations of Democracy and Government (with resources specific to 1/6/21) 
• Symbols for Principles of Democracy Lesson Plan 

Teaching About the Electoral College 

• The Constitution and the Election Educational Resources 
• Explaining how Congress Settles Electoral College Disputes 
• Civics in Real Life: The Electoral College  

Resources About Peaceful Transitions of Power 

• Bill of Rights Institute: Peaceful Transitions 
• Frequently Asked Questions about Presidential Transitions 
• Election Day to Inauguration Day: What Happens in Those 78 Days? 
• Civics in Real Life: Presidential Transition  
• Lesson Plan: Learning from Previous Presidential Transitions  

We want to remind our educators that if you have questions, ideas, or would like further resources for your classroom, please contact Joe Schmidt at Joe.Schmidt@maine.gov 

Should you need support as you process the events and carry the weight of helping students to do the same, please contact the Frontline/Warmline for educators, staffed by retired educators who can provide an empathetic ear and emotional support. The Frontline/Warmline is available 8 am to 8 pm, 7 days a week, call 207-221-8196 or text 898-211.