And We're Off!

Valley Unified Middle/High School students from the Madawaska School Department, MSAD #33, and MSAD #27 started the 2020-2021 school year -- a year unlike any we've ever experienced -- on Thursday, August 27 or Friday, August 28 through a staggered first day schedule with half the student body in each school attending on Thursday and the other half participating on Friday.

The opening days focused on health and safety protocols. 

Face coverings, one-way hallways and staircases, physical distancing, and Google Classroom were among the key features and topics of each day.

There were hiccups and wrinkles but students and staff remained positive and adapted as necessary.

We at the Valley Unified Education Service Center thank our students, their families, and all school staff for their spirit of patience, determination and positivity during these opening days and throughout our return to school planning process. 

We could not have done this without you and your support and understanding.

With our procedure-focused opening days and the lessons we learned from them behind us, we look forward to the start of full day, full week instruction for Middle/High School students on Monday, August 31.

We wish you all a productive and successful school year!

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A Resource Guide for Staying Healthy and Well During COVID-19

As a service to our students, staff, and their families, the Valley Unified Education Service Center, relying on the experience and expertise of our Health and Physical Education teachers, has compiled a resource guide of sample indoor and outdoor physical and fresh air activity suggestions to engage in during these challenging times brought on by COVID-19.

To review the guide and even add suggested activities you'd like to share with others across the Upper St. John Valley, go to bit.ly/323WpHg or click on the image below.  Stay healthy and be well.

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Important Update on the Start of School

In order for our schools to open safely, we want to ensure that all the necessary Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is available for our staff and students.  

Additionally, we need to ensure that all safety measures, including temperature screening tools, floor signage, and informational displays are in place.  

Finally, we still need all parents/guardians to complete a school enrollment form for their children, so we know if they are coming back to in-classroom instruction or if they will be participating in remote learning to start the year.  School enrollment forms are available at www.vuesc.org.  

Because all of the above measures have not been finalized, Valley Unified Schools, including MSAD27, MSAD33, and the Madawaska School Department have delayed the start of the school year by one week.  

All 7-12 students will be now starting on August 27 and all K-6 students will be starting on September 10.  The Pre-K start date of September 21 remains the same.  To view our updated calendar, go to bit.ly/3aoA2zW or click on the image below.

Thank you for your patience and understanding as we prepare for a safe return to school.  

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Valley Unified One-Stop Resource for Returning to School

As the students, staff, parents, families, and communities across the Upper St. John Valley prepare for the start of school this month for our Middle/High Schools and in September for our Elementary Schools, the Valley Unified Education Service Center has created a convenient one-stop website where all the resources we've used for our return to instruction planning and our school reintegration plan are located.

To review these resources, go to vuesc.org or click on the image below.  We encourage you to bookmark this link as we will post up-to-date information and news here on an on-going basis.

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Important and Helpful Information for Valley Unified Parents/Guardians

The Valley Unified School Social Workers have prepared important and helpful information and a checklist of considerations for parents/guardians that will be useful in preparing their children and youth for returning to school in August for Middle/High School and for Elementary School in September.

To review this resource, go to bit.ly/33CmTSs or click on the image below.

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Valley Unified School Reintegration Guide

At meetings this week the Madawaska School Committee, MSAD #27 School Board, and MSAD #33 School Board approved the Valley Unified School Reintegration Guide - a plan for returning to school in the Upper St. John Valley.

Our middle/high schools are set to receive students on August 20 and our elementary schools will start on September 3.

Our School Reintegration Guide provides parents and families the information they need to understand what it will be like for our young people to return to or start school in 2020-2021, a school year that will be unlike any we've ever experienced before.

We know our regions's parents and families have been waiting for this plan, and we thank you for your patience as we've worked to develop a reintegration guide that prioritizes and outlines a safe return to school for all.  

To review this comprehensive plan and the important student and staff health and safety considerations it includes, go to bit.ly/2XDT1RV or click on the image below.

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