Updated Information and Reminder Concerning Upcoming Voluntary Vaccination Clinics

For updated information and a detailed reminder concerning the times and locations of the upcoming voluntary school-based Pfizer COVID-19 vaccination clinics in Valley Unified schools, please go to bit.ly/3tbTNWO or click on the image below.

The US Food and Drug Administration recently authorized COVID-19 boosters for use with 12-15 year olds. Clinics will be held this month on January 13 and 14. Parents/guardians should contact their local school by 12 noon on January 12 to register their children.

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New School Guidance for COVID-19 Cases

As we enter the new calendar year, all schools across Maine, including our Valley Unified school districts, have new guidance to follow specific to how to respond to positive COVID-19 cases, which include those individuals who are identified as close contacts.  The new information can be found here.

Here are some of the biggest changes, which go into effect immediately, and do not count for any positive COVID-19 cases or close contacts identified before December 30, 2021:  

1. Maine will now observe the US CDC's Guidelines for a positive COVID-19 individual, which is now 5 days as long as the individual no longer has symptoms after 5 days.  The 5 day isolation should be followed by 5 additional days of wearing a properly fitted mask.
2. Close contacts to a positive COVID-19 individual must also quarantine for 5 days from last COVID-19 exposure from school and school activities and then wear a mask for an additional 5 days unless at least one of the following conditions applies:
   • The close contact (staff or student) is boosted; or 
   • The close contact is a fully vaccinated 16-17 year old student who has not yet received their booster shot; or
   • The close contact (staff or student) is not eligible for a booster but is fully vaccinated; or  
   • The close contact (staff or student) completed their second mRNA dose within 6 months (or completed their J&J vaccine within two months); or 
   • The close contact (staff or student) participates in school pooled testing; or 
   • The school is enforcing a mandatory masking policy. 
3. Exposures that occur in outdoor settings (including contact in sports) or on a school bus do not constitute a close contact and, thus, do not require quarantine, regardless of vaccination status.
4. The pooled testing exemption now includes close contacts that occur outside of school events.
5. The definition for school outbreak has changed, and is no longer 3 or more positives from separate households.  When a school reports 15% absenteeism, Maine CDC will follow up with the school to obtain additional information and determine if the absenteeism report meets outbreak status.

Given the above changes, we fully expect that there will be far fewer required quarantines moving forward, especially when more staff and students become fully vaccinated and boosted, participate in pooled testing, and continue with universal masking.  

 

Over the next several weeks, it will be very important to listen to the guidance provided to you by the school nurse in the event that a staff member or student tests positive for COVID-19, or if an individual is a close contact.  We will also review our procedures on how to handle at home COVID-19 tests and report back on that guidance shortly. 

 

Thank you for your continued support and for understanding that our schools are required to follow the Maine CDC guidance when responding to COVID-19 or any other infectious disease.   We wish you all a new and improved 2022!

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December Updates and Information for Students, Families and Staff

To review the December, 2021 Valley Unified Education Service Center Update for Students, Families and Staff click here or on the image below.  We wish you all a safe, happy, healthy Holiday Season.

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Upcoming Voluntary School-Based Vaccination Clinics

The Valley Unified Education Service Center will partner with St. John Valley Pharmacy to host and conduct additional voluntary school-based Pfizer COVID-19 vaccination clinics for 5-11 year old elementary school children and for high school students age 16 and older.  

These voluntary clinics will be held on January 13 and 14 and February 3 and 4, 2022.  Only those students whose parents have signed consent forms will be vaccinated.

For details on the dates and times of the clinics in your child's school, go to bit.ly/3q9nlBx or click on the image below.  Have a healthy and happy holiday season.

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First Alternative Schooling Enrollment Report for 2021-2022

Since the start of the 2021-2022 school year until this month, 72 students from the three high schools in the Upper St. John Valley have participated in the Valley Unified Education Service Center Alternative Schooling program.

To review our most current Alternative Schooling Enrollment Report for 2021-2022, go to bit.ly/3EPn5O7 or click on the image below.

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More Voluntary School Based Vaccination Clinics Are Coming

The Valley Education Service Center partnered with Northern Maine Medical Center and St. John Valley Pharmacy to deliver second dosages of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccination to 5-11 year olds through voluntary school-based vaccination clinics this week.  First dosages were administered at school-based clinics in November.

Additional voluntary school-based vaccination clinics are being arranged for dates in mid-January (first dosage) and early February, 2022 (2nd dosage).  When details are finalized, dates, times and location will be posted here and on school websites and Facebook pages.

For more information concerning COVID-19 child vaccines, parents and families are encouraged to contact the School Nurse at the elementary school in their community.  Click here for elementary school nurse contact information.

Parents and families interested in having their children vaccinated prior to January, 2022 can arrange to do so through either St. John Valley Pharmacy in Fort Kent or through Northern Maine Medical Center weekly clinics in Fort Kent and Madawaska (Acadia Family Health in Madawaska - Mondays, 4 PM to 6 PM and Fort Kent Family Practice - Wednesdays, 4 PM to 6 PM).

To schedule a child vaccination appointment through Northern Maine Medical Center, go to nmmc.org/covid-resource-center/.  To schedule a child vaccination appointment through St. John Valley Pharmacy, call 834-2880.

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Maine DOE Announces Webinar for Parents Concerning COVID-19 Vaccination for Children

The Maine Department of Education News Room has put out a press release about an upcoming webinar for parents and families on COVID-19 vaccines for school-aged children.  To access information concerning the webinar, go to bit.ly/3Dfixz6 or click on the image below.

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