Good Morning Hillsboro-Deering Families and Staff,

 The Hillsboro-Deering School Board met last night and voted to begin the process of increasing the upper elementary school students in-person learning days from two to four each week.  The process will begin on Monday, February 8th with grade three.  Grade four students will be next, beginning on February 15th, and the fifth grade students will begin the new schedule on March 1st. Families with students in grades three through five will receive specific information about the changes to their student’s learning schedule. 

 At each stage of this process we will continue to monitor the effectiveness of the health and safety protocols in place, and make any revisions to the plan as necessary.  The health, safety, and well-being of all students and staff remains the first priority of the district.

 The H-D School Board also voted to approve the following change to the Decision Matrix recommended by the NH Department of Health and Human Services in their updated guidance on January 26, 2021:

Thank you to all the members of the school community who joined us either in-person or viewing the livestream for the Deliberative Session this past Saturday and for the School Board Meeting last night.  We deeply appreciate the involvement of the entire school community as we continue the strengthening and progress of our schools so that our students are fully prepared to grow, develop, and discover their path. 

Patricia Parenteau

Superintendent of Schools

Good Morning,
As part of our on-going effort to be transparent and keep all members of our school community informed, I am writing to provide an update on decisions made yesterday by both the district administrative team and the Hillsboro-Deering School Board. 
Due to the sharp increase in community transmission and the rising number of school community members in quarantine or testing positive I made the decision to move the students in specialized programming to the full remote learning model until the anticipated return to hybrid learning on Tuesday, January 19th.  The Hillsboro-Deering School Board voted to approve the option for all teachers and paraeducators to work remotely during this time.  The Board also voted to put interscholastic competition for Basketball and Cheer on hold until we return to the hybrid learning model and to only allow games with other districts not allowing fans when and if competition resumes.  The board also voted to allow Alpine Skiing and Bowling to proceed as previously approved. 
None of these decisions are made lightly.  It remains the firm position of the district to have in-person instruction to the greatest degree it is safe, in the current circumstances it is simply not safe.  We understand that full remote learning is difficult for families, students, and staff.  It is not ideal.  It is not the learning model we want for this school community.  But right now it is the safest option. The safety, health, and well-being of all school community members remains the most important factor in the decision making process.  Every data point in the SAU 34 Decision Matrix is being carefully monitored and when the data consistently shows it is safe we will return to the hybrid learning model.
The current surge in Covid-19 cases and community transmission was anticipated by infectious disease experts and providing the members of our school community with the structure to safely quarantine after the holiday season was one of the reasons for our planned move to full remote until after Martin Luther King Jr. Day.  The most helpful thing every member of our school community can do at this time is to closely follow the guidance from the CDC and NH DHHS.

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol if soap and water are not available.
• Avoid close contact with others. When outside your home, keep a distance of at least 6 feet between yourself and others. This is known as social distancing.
• Wear a cloth face covering that covers your mouth and nose to protect yourself and others when in public areas.
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, then throw the tissue in the trash and wash your hands.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.
• If you or your child are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, such as a fever, chills, respiratory illness, aches or change in taste and smell, please stay home and away from others and get a COVID-19 PCR test.

If you have any questions regarding your student’s health information please contact the building nurse.
NH DHHS Guide "If I was Exposed to Covid-19"       

NH DHHS Guide "I Tested Positive for Covid-19"   

CDC Guide for Talking with Children about Covid-19

I remain incredibly proud of and deeply grateful for the hard work and dedication of our school staff and the families of our community as we work together to support and educate our students.  They are our purpose and our pride and together we will help them grow, develop, and discover their path..

Thank-you and Be well,

Patricia Parenteau
Superintendent of Schools

 Good Afternoon SAU 34 Families and Staff,

I want to commend the entire school community of students, staff, and families for the absolutely phenomenal efforts you have all put in since the beginning of the 2020-2021 school year.  You have worked together to make our Hybrid Learning Model work and to allow the maximum amount of safe in-person learning to take place this fall.  As we began planning with our task force process back in the summer, we were unsure if we would be able to remain in-person through the month of September, and due to your vigilant adherence to our health and safety protocols we have made it nearly to Thanksgiving.  I am deeply grateful for all that you have done each and every day.

 We knew that as the cold weather returned we would face a rise in illnesses, including colds, the flu, and strep, in addition to Covid-19.  That is now clearly the case.  We have seen a dramatic increase in staff needing to stay off campus for illness over the past week, and those numbers are only going to rise over the next several weeks.  As of this morning, three out of our five buildings are in Full Remote Learning for lack of adequate staffing due to illness.  We are projecting that will continue to happen frequently between now and the beginning of the Winter Holiday Recess on December 23rd. 

 Input from families on all of our surveys has clearly requested as much advance notice as possible for shifting learning models and a desire for as much consistency as possible.  We understand that having to make frequent adjustments to childcare arrangements and other family schedules is a real burden for all involved.  I truly value  everyone who has reached out to me personally and to the school board with your concerns and needs. 

 We also understand that the shift to the Full Remote Learning Model is not easy for families, and that most students learn best in the structured environment provided by in-person school. Families have overwhelmingly expressed that if we do need to shift learning models that we provide as much notice and stability as possible. All of these factors have been carefully weighed, repeatedly, by the administrative team.  

 Based on the authority granted to me by the school boards at the Monday, November 9th, Washington School Board Meeting and the Monday, November 16th Hillsboro-Deering School Board Meeting, starting on Monday, November 30, 2020 all SAU 34 schools will shift to the Full Remote Learning Model through Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.  We anticipate a return to the Hybrid Learning Plan on January 19, 2021.  I know that this decision is not what everyone wishes, but it is what I and the administrative team firmly believe is in the best interest of the school community.

 The principals of each school will communicate the building level schedules and expectations for their students and staff during remote learning over the next few days.  Individual student needs may create the necessity for in-person services or therapies during the full remote period.  Those decisions are made by the special education teams, with the involvement of families. The situation is fluid and the safety, health, and well-being of students and staff are carefully evaluated while making those decisions.

 As we did during the spring and summer, SAU 34 will utilize the school busses and bus stops to make meal deliveries during the period of remote learning.  Michele Dupont, Hillsboro-Deering School District Director of Food Service will be providing more information about the meal delivery plan over the next few days.

 If you have any questions please contact your student’s building principal or reach out to me directly by calling the SAU Office at 464-4466 or emailing me at pparenteau@hdsd.org.

 Thank-you and Be Well,

Patricia Parenteau

Superintendent of Schools, SAU 34

Good Morning Families and Staff, 

The Hillsboro-Deering School Board met last evening, Monday, November 16th, and after discussion decided not to make any adjustments to the learning model at this time, and to let the SAU 34 Decision Matrix continue to guide me and the administrative team in determining the learning model on a day to day basis.  As previously determined, all SAU 34 schools will be in a period of Full Remote Learning from New Year’s through Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, with an anticipated return to the Hybrid Learning Model on Tuesday, January 19th.

We understand that a shift to the Full Remote Learning Model is not easy for families, but please understand that if community spread continues to rise at the rapid rate we are seeing or school impact factors increase we will need to shift to the Fully Remote Learning Plan quickly.  All students and staff are encouraged to ensure that they have all of the necessary tools and supplies to continue learning at home when they leave campus each day.  We will make every effort to give everyone as much time to plan as possible, but the situation is fluid and change may happen abruptly.

The Board also had the following presentations and discussions:

• Just prior to the regularly scheduled meeting a Public Hearing was held to discuss an expenditure from the Technology Expendable Trust Fund to purchase a replacement projector for the H-D Middle School Cafetorium and purchase necessary software.  The  Board voted 5-0 to expend the funds.
• High School Teacher John Bramley gave a lively presentation on Virtual Reality as a tool for learning and engagement. The members of the Board and I all got to experience a VR trip to Africa.
• High School Principal, Jim O’Rourke presented on the Winter Sports Season and presented the regional Athletic Directors Winter Cohort Draft, outlining protocols and procedures for high school basketball, Alpine Skiing, Bowling, and Spirit competitions.  Middle School Assistant Principal and Athletic Director, Patrick West, spoke about the Middle School Winter Sports program.  After a lengthy discussion the board voted on each sport individually and approved them all with the protocols and procedures presented.

Thank-you and Be Well,

Patricia Parenteau

Superintendent of Schools, SAU 34

Good Morning Washington Families and Staff,

The Washington School Board met last evening, and as part of the agenda discussed the possibility of full remote periods following the Thanksgiving and Winter Holiday Recesses for Washington Elementary School.  The Washington School Board voted 4-0 for Washington Elementary School to have a period of planned full remote learning from Monday, January 4 - 15, 2021, with students returning to the hybrid learning plan on Tuesday, January 19th.  Monday, January 18th is Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and all schools are closed for the holiday.

The Washington School Board also voted 4-0 to have the Washington Elementary School take the same action (if any) regarding the post Thanksgiving period as voted by the Hillsboro-Deering School Board at their next meeting, November 16th.  

While it is always our desire to give families and staff as much planning time as possible before moving a school or district into full remote learning, the situation is very fluid and all school community members should be aware that an abrupt move to full remote learning may be warranted by the changing conditions.  The most current data is always available at the district website, hdsd.org by clicking on the 20-21 Decision Matrix button or using this link:  SAU 34 Decision Matrix

Thank-you and Be Well,

Patricia Parenteau

Superintendent of Schools, SAU 34

Good Afternoon Families and Staff,

At each meeting of both the Washington and Hillsboro-Deering School Boards an update was provided on the work of the district and the current status of the schools, including an update on the Decision Matrix.  The Hillsboro-Deering School Board held a regularly scheduled meeting last evening, Monday, November 2nd  regarding the Decision Matrix and the following was reported:

• All schools are solidly in the green category for both Availability of Cleaning and Protective Supplies and Compliance with Procedures.  

• The factor** Level of School Impact** has three subfactors: Transmission within the School Facility, Student Absence Due to Illness, and Staff Capacity to Conduct Classes and School Operations.  All buildings are categorized as green for Transmission within the School Facility and Student Absence Due to Illness.  Hillsboro-Deering Elementary School and Hillsboro-Deering High School are both in the yellow for Staff Capacity to Conduct Classes and School Operations, and Hillsboro-Deering Middle School is bordering on Yellow.  Washington Elementary School and The High School Alternative Program are currently green.  This subfactor fluctuates most frequently, and can change quickly.

• The factor Level of Community Transmission also has three sub factors, all reported by county: COVID-19 PCR Test Positivity as a Seven Day Average, Number of New Infections per 100,000 Population Over the Prior 14 Days, and Number of New Hospitalizations per 100,000 Population over the Prior 14 Days.  While the numbers are consistently rising across the state in all three sub factors, both the Rest of Hillsborough County (excludes the cities of Manchester and Nashua) and Sullivan County are categorized green for both** COVID-19 PCR Test Positivity as a Seven Day Averag**e and Number of New Hospitalizations per 100,000 Population over the Prior 14 Days.  In the subfactor Number of New Infections per 100,000 Population Over the Prior 14 Days, Sullivan County has moved well into the yellow category and The Rest of Hillsborough County has been in the red since October 28th.

This chart is part of the SAU 34 Decision Matrix and shows guidelines for how the factors of Community Transmission and School Impact can relate to each other and the learning model decision:

Decisions and discussions from the Hillsboro-Deering Board meeting, November 2, 2020:

• The Board discussed the idea of periods of planned Full Remote following the upcoming holiday breaks.  The Hillsboro-Deering Board voted 5-0 to institute a period of Full Remote Instruction from Monday, January 4th through the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday on Monday, January 18th.  Hybrid instruction will resume on Tuesday, January 19th.  The Board decided to table a decision for the period after the Thanksgiving Recess until the next meeting, scheduled for Monday, November 16th.

• I discussed the options we have available for inclement weather this year.  The district leadership team, including the teachers union leadership, have evaluated the options and determined that while there are some circumstances that will call for a traditional snow day, there are also some conditions that allow for the use of remote learning.  Every effort will always be made to announce a change in schedule as soon as possible to allow everyone time to plan, but this is New England, and weather and road conditions can shift quickly, so it is important we maintain flexibility to ensure everyone’s safety and best meet educational needs.

• Mr. O’Rourke, H-DHS Principal, presented an overview of the current information regarding Winter Athletics.  A full presentation on both high school and middle school Winter Athletics with a School Board vote will take place at the next meeting, scheduled for Monday, November 16th.

The Washington School Board will discuss and vote on the possibility of full remote periods following the Thanksgiving and Winter Holiday Recesses for Washington Elementary School at their next meeting, Monday, November 9th.

Thank-you and Be Well,

Patricia Parenteau

Superintendent of Schools, SAU 34

Hello SAU 34 Families,

 At the last Washington School Board meeting on Wednesday, October 14th, and again at the last Hillsboro-Deering School Board meeting on Monday, October 19th, we gave a detailed, line by line presentation on the SAU 34 Decision Matrix, explaining each factor, where the data comes from, and what it means.  The link to the slides from the presentation is now embedded in the live matrix, found by clicking on the 20-21 Decision Matrix button on the front page of the district website. If you have any questions about the Matrix and how it is used please do not hesitate to contact us.

Links:

SAU 34 Decision Matrix Explained   Live SAU 34 Decision Matrix

 The level of community transmission in The Rest of Hillsborough County (Hillsborough County, excluding the cities of Nashua and Manchester) has been steadily increasing since the middle of September.  This is one of the factors we carefully monitor. This category has three sub factors. Yesterday, the Rest of Hillsborough County moved into the Red for the Community Transmission sub factor of New Cases per 100 Thousand Population over 14 days.  Red is defined as over 100 and yesterday’s data was 101.8.  **This is one of the three sub factors in the community transmission category.  **The other two sub factors are the number of new hospitalizations per 100 thousand over the prior 14 days and the seven day average of PCR test positivity. ** Both of these sub factors remain well within the green range. **

We are also seeing an increase in our school impact factor, specifically in the subfactor of staff absence.  Our policy of 100% wellness has predictably increased the number of staff that need to be out on any given day.  It is very important that all school community members continue to self-screen and not come to the buildings when we do not meet the 100% wellness criteria. 

 The combination of rising community transmission and increased school impact do make it likely that there will be times, as we saw last week, when one or more of the buildings will need to be in full remote instruction for a period of time.  It is always our desire to give as much notice as possible, but changes in conditions can be very rapid.

 If you have any questions regarding the decision matrix or the process we are using to monitor the situation please contact me at either 464-4466 or pparenteau@hdsd.org

 The well-being of the community is the foundation of the work we do and we will continue to closely and carefully monitor all of the categories of the decision matrix daily. 

 Patricia Parenteau

Superintendent of Schools

Dear Families and Staff,

As part of the re-entry process, we agreed to reevaluate the instructional model on a regular basis. 
At last night’s Hillsboro-Deering School Board meeting, the district leadership team presented a proposal, which was approved by the Board, to increase the in-person days for the hybrid model in Grades One and Two.  Grades One and Two will have the same schedule as the Kindergarten, with in-person instruction four days a week.  Wednesdays remain a remote day for all students. The specific details of the grade one and two schedules will be provided to those families by the Elementary School leadership as soon as possible.  The new schedule will begin after the holiday weekend on Tuesday, October 13th.
The factors in the Decision Making Matrix are updated daily and decisions about the instructional model are under constant review.   The Decision Making Matrix is always current and available on the district website. The SAU 34 Decision Matrix for Pandemic Response at https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GufmdBZqYS-pe93ZT5bzv2UXg8CV8t6xBH9-cZoFa8A .

Sincerely,

Patricia Parenteau

Superintendent of Schools

Dear Families,

 As the end of the summer is drawing near, the nights are becoming cooler giving one a sense that school is about to begin. However, this year will begin unlike any other. Families have made their choices and for some students their school year will begin in a hybrid model and for others, full remote. You will be receiving correspondence from the building principal tomorrow providing you with further information.

Attached to this email you will find the following resources:

1. SAU 34 Re-Entry Plans for all Schools
2. Student Daily Health Checklist: This is a checklist to be completed by you for each of your students prior to leaving the house for school. If you answer yes to any of the questions, you student should not enter the school buildings. Please contact your school nurse regarding a plan to return to school.
3. Five Steps to Expect if a Student or Staff Member Tests Positive for COVID-19: This was produced by the NH Department of Education with the support of the NH Department of Health and Human Services.

 I hope you find these resources helpful.  Should you have any additional questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to the building principals:

 Washington Elementary School, Principal Kelli Colarusso, kcolarusso@hdsd.org, 495-3463

Hillsboro-Deering Elementary School Pre-2 Principal Jeni Laliberte, jlaliberte@hdsd.org, 464-1110

Hillsboro-Deering Elementary School 3-5 Principal Donna Furlong, dfurlong@hdsd.org, 464-1110

Hillsboro-Deering Middle School, Principal Marc Peterson, mpeterson@hdsd.org, 464-1120

Hillsboro-Deering High School, Principal Jim O’Rourke,jorourke@hdsd.org, 464-1130
Respectfully,
Patricia Parenteau
Superintendent of Schools, SAU #34

Dear Families,

 Thank you to all who have taken the time to complete the Parent Choice Survey. Administration is working diligently assigning students into two hybrid groups. Families will be notified regarding their student(s)’ placement by the end of next week. The SAU 34’s AA BB calendar for the hybrid option for the 20-21 school year is attached to this email. Please note there are a couple of weeks that do not contain a remote Wednesday. We wanted you to have this information as soon as possible for your planning purposes.

 It has come to our attention that our email messages are going to the junk email for some Gmail accounts. If you do not receive an email that corresponds with my voice message, please check your junk folder.

 Should you have any additional questions, please feel free to reach out to the building principals:

Washington Elementary School, Principal Kelli Colarusso, kcolarusso@hdsd.org, 495-3463

Hillsboro-Deering Elementary School Pre-2 Principal Jeni Laliberte, jlaliberte@hdsd.org, 464-1110

Hillsboro-Deering Elementary School 3-5 Principal Donna Furlong, dfurlong@hdsd.org, 464-1110

Hillsboro-Deering Middle School, Principal Marc Peterson, mpeterson@hdsd.org, 464-1120

Hillsboro-Deering High School, Principal Jim O’Rourke, jorourker@hdsd.org, 464-1130

 Respectfully,

Patricia Parenteau

Superintendent of Schools

Dear Hillsboro-Deering Families and Staff,

I want to invite you to attend Hillsboro-Deering’s forums on School Re-entry to be held on Monday, Aug. 3, 2020. The meetings will be held virtually in order to allow for as many participants as possible. I welcome any questions in advance in order to make the information presented as thorough as possible. Please email your questions to Carol Fogarty at cfogarty@hdsd.org

Hillsboro-Deering Elementary School: 6:00–7:15pm 

To join:  https://zoom.us/j/92075398927?pwd=QTFKK2xQclF1NXYrTFd3NUI1SkpqZz09
Meeting ID: 920 7539 8927
Passcode: 917950

Hillsboro-Deering Middle and High School: 7:30-8:45pm

To join: https://zoom.us/j/93026140518?pwd=bWNxNVJpa2Jld2tNTUR3VUUvL3Rsdz09
Meeting ID: 930 2614 0518
Passcode: 134825

Based upon the data received from the surveys, the Hillsboro-Deering Schools have also been working on developing a Full Remote option, details of which will be presented Monday evening. 
Please be aware that the student registration process has been updated to an online format. The directions for this new process will be sent out within the next week.
I hope to see you on Monday and look forward to our discussion.
Patricia Parenteau,
Superintendent of Schools

Dear Washington Elementary School Families and Staff,
I want to invite you to attend Washington Elementary School’s forums on School Re-entry to be held on Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2020, 6:00-7:00pm. The meeting will be held virtually in order to allow for as many participants as possible.
To join:         https://zoom.us/j/99346287928?pwd=OWVOZzZNekczeWpQTkxVUjJpc1FXUT09
Meeting ID: 993 4628 7928
Passcode: 189927
I welcome any questions in advance in order to make the information presented as thorough as possible. Please email your questions to Carol Fogarty at cfogarty@hdsd.org .
Based upon the data received from the surveys, the Washington School have also been working on developing a Full Remote options details of which will be presented Wednesday evening. 

Please be aware that the student registration process has been updated to an online format. The directions for this new process will be sent out within the next week.
I hope to see you on Wednesday and look forward to our discussion.
Patricia Parenteau,
Superintendent of Schools

The District Re-Entry Leadership Team met this morning and discussed the excellent work that is being done by the Task Forces. 

The New Hampshire Commissioner of Education, Frank Edelblut is scheduled to present  the STRRT (School Transition Reopening and Redesign) Task Force recommendations to the Governor later today.

I will be presenting a brief overview of our work to date as an SAU, as well as the STRRT recommendations at the Hillsboro-Deering School Board Meeting scheduled for July 6th and at an upcoming Washington School Board Meeting. 

The district's administrators will meet as a group to review all of the work to date next Tuesday, and we anticipate that we will be able to share the focus for the next steps to plan for the opening of the 2020-2021 school year by July 14th.

Have a wonderful Fourth of July,

Patricia Parenteau

Assistant Superintendent

The Re-Entry Leadership Team held its weekly meeting today and is providing the following update:

• The three SAU 34 Re-Entry Task Forces continue to meet and develop recommendations for the 2020-2021 School Year.
• The Technology Department continues to make upgrades including doubling the bandwidth by the end of August, upgrading staff systems, student chromebook replacements, and evaluating software needs and subscriptions.  
• The Facilities Department has researched, made suggestions, and continues to plan for on-going sanitizing and safety needs.
• The School Nurses have drafted initial protocols and procedures around PPE re-opening of offices, have acquired all of the necessary PPE for the summer, and are working with facilities to purchase necessary supplies moving forward.
• The Mental Health Task Force is doing an in-depth training with Cassie Yackley, Psy.D., to prepare for the coming work.
• New Hampshire Commissioner of Education, Frank Edelblut has shared he anticipates the STRRT (School Transition Reopening and Redesign) Task Force recommendations to the Governor will be finished and made public at the end of June.

 Be well and enjoy the summer weather,

Patricia Parenteau

Assistant Superintendent 

 In May, SAU 34 implemented a Re-Entry Planning Structure.  The first step was the creation of The Districts’ Leadership Team composed of SAU and Building Administration, the Facilities, Technology, and Food Service Directors, the District Nurse, the Grant Managers, and the Union Presidents.  This team developed surveys to gather initial feedback from families, staff, students, and the community at large. Survey responses also created advisory groups of both parents and staff to support the planning work.  

 The Districts’ Leadership Team formed three task forces, headed by building administrators from across the district and with staff representation from all departments on each task force.  Each Task Force focused on a single model for re-entry:  Full Return, Full Remote, and Hybrid (a combination of in-person and remote learning and instruction) in alignment with the following goals:

• • Protects the health and safety of all students and staff
  • Promotes the social emotional well-being of all students and staff; and
  • Provides all students equitable access to rigorous academic opportunities

The re-entry planning is informed by the guidance provided by our local, state, and federal governments and public health officials.  Just like prior to the pandemic, the safety and health of students and staff remains the highest priority of the distinct.

The following key factors have emerged from the process:

• Social distancing and mitigation strategies such as face coverings and frequent hand washing must be part of any plan for the physical return to school buildings. 
• Transportation is a particularly difficult problem in light of the dramatically reduced capacity on busses.  
• It is a near certainty that conditions will require SAU 34 to be in a full remote model at various points during the 2020-2021 school year.  
• In-person instruction is the best model for the vast majority of students, when it is physically safe for students and staff.
• In order to safely provide in-person instruction, we must both reduce the student to staff ratio and increase the amount of instructional space.  This will require hiring additional staff.
• Students in grades Kindergarten - 2 benefit least from remote instruction.
• All remote instruction needs to have opportunities for real time interaction and instruction.
• Positive relationships are the foundation of successful and productive student learning.
• Technology is a valuable tool that we can leverage to support learning and teaching.
• SAU 34 is fortunate to have 1:1 student devices, but we understand that internet connectivity can vary widely.
• Predictable structure and scheduling are necessary for students, staff, and families to successfully access learning opportunities and transition between models of instruction.
• A clear majority of students, staff, and families reported that remote learning was stressful.
• We recognize that the health risk factors in individual households are different and that a number of families and staff have reported that members of their household are at higher risk of infection.

Taking all of this into consideration, the Districts’ Leadership Team believes that we will need to begin the 2020-2021 school year with a hybrid model that meets the needs outlined above. Using a hybrid model allows us to combine in-person and remote learning and instruction.  

The details of which will be presented as soon as possible.  The SAU has five school buildings and each has unique features.  Our goal is for elementary students and those in specialized programming or with unique circumstances at all grade levels to return to campuses for in-person instruction and learning as much as possible. Middle and high school students will return to campuses for in-person instruction and learning part of the week with remote learning and instruction the remainder of the week.  This staggered system will allow for recommended social distancing both in classrooms and on busses.  Remote learning will have scheduled live instruction, and those sessions may be recorded for later availability to students. It is our hope that students who are unable to attend in-person sessions will be able to access live streaming from home.

SAU 34 will have a cycle of continuous monitoring and reevaluation of the current health and safety conditions at the community, state, and national level to determine if and when it is appropriate and necessary to transition to either a more remote model or a more in-person model.  The health and safety of the students and staff is our highest priority, as we cannot fulfill our mission of high quality, future focused educational opportunities for all students without first attending to their physical and emotional well-being.

We understand that every family has individual needs and circumstances and we are aware that you will have to make decisions for your unique family situation. Our community is strongest when our schools and families work in partnership.  The districts’ draft re-entry plans are designed to provide both families and the schools the flexibility necessary to meet our changing circumstances throughout the 2020-2021 school year.

In order to assist us in moving the re-entry plans forward to the school boards for final approval we are asking each family to provide the following information:

• Do you plan on having your children attend SAU 34 schools in person, as described, this fall?
• Can you provide daily transportation to school for your children?
• Is there any additional information you would like to provide us?

Please click on this link to provide your responses: Family Specific Re-Entry Information

SAU 34 Re-Entry Planning Structure

Planning for the 2020-2021 school year is an extraordinarily complex endeavor.  The District Leadership Team has designed a structure for the re-entry planning process.

The District Leadership Team composed of SAU and Building Administration, the Facilities, Technology, and Food Service Directors, the District Nurse, and the Grant Managers will meet weekly from this point forward.

Three Tasks Forces are being formed to plan for the potential scenarios we will face in the fall.  Using this approach will allow each Task Force to focus in depth on their scenario.  The task force leaders will report out their work each week at the District Leadership Team Meetings.

The principals and assistant principals are Task Force Leaders.  The three scenarios are:

• Full Return to Campus
• Full Remote Instruction
• Hybrid

It is essential that all stakeholder voices are part of that process.  To that end we are asking for staff members who want to help lead this work to apply to be part of a task force.  The posting will be available in applitrack shortly.  Task Force placement will be done to ensure a balanced and complete perspective. The time commitment will be a weekly meeting of not more than two hours and potential project work between meetings.  These meetings will continue for the foreseeable future. This work is paid at the rate defined by the collective bargaining agreements. 

In addition to the task forces we will survey all stakeholder groups and we will also form advisory councils of stakeholder groups who are willing and available to respond to additional surveys and questionnaires as needed.

Weekly updates of this on-going work will be published by the SAU.

Be safe and stay well.

Patricia Parenteau, Assistant Superintendent

The Re-Entry Planning Task Force work is continuing.  Operation Lunchbox is continuing through the Summer Break. A separate message is being sent this week with the full details to all families.  The Technology Department continues its work on identifying and responding to current and future needs.  Please be sure to submit a ticket to helpdesk@hdsd.org if you are having difficulty with your district equipment or programs.   The District Nursing Team is continuing to develop and update health and safety protocols and the Facilities Department is working on identifying and meeting equipment and training needs.

Be safe and stay well,

Patricia Parenteau 

Assistant Superintendent

The Re-entry Leadership Team held its weekly meeting this morning and each of the Task Force Groups had an opportunity to report out on their initial meetings.  Each Task Force is working to produce a specific plan for re-opening that aligns with the following goals:

• • Protects the health and safety of all students and staff;
  • Promotes the social emotional well-being of all students and staff; and
  • Provides all students equitable access to rigorous academic opportunities

Within that work, the Task Forces are emphasizing the importance of leading with humanity, staying focused on the social and emotional wellbeing of all school community members, while ensuring that we align with the guidance from the Centers for Disease Control.  Please see the linked School Decision Tree published by the CDC as a reference.

Additional information can be found on the SAU 34 website by clicking on the Re-Entry Icon.

Be safe and stay well,

Patricia Parenteau

Assistant Superintendent

The planning for the 2020-2021 school year is underway and the Task Forces’ weekly meetings begin this week.  All of the information regarding the re-entry process can be found by clicking on the Re-Entry Icon on the SAU’s homepage HDSD.org . The District Leadership Team is very grateful for all of the detailed and valuable feedback from both the Parent and Staff Surveys that took place last week..  

 Next week the principals will email an academic questionnaire to students and their families in grades 4-12. Students in grades K-3 will have the opportunity to share their learning experiences with their teacher next week. A community survey is being developed so that we can gather the input and feedback from those who wish to share, but may not have a student in the schools.  We are in the process of forming the Stakeholder Advisory Groups to assist the Task Forces with their work.  We are also scheduling meetings to provide the support staff with additional opportunities to share their input. 

 We will continue to provide you with weekly updates throughout the planning process.

 Be safe and stay well,

 Patricia Parenteau

Assistant Superintendent

The District Leadership Team composed of SAU and Building Administration, the Facilities, Technology, and Food Service Directors, the District Nurse, the Grant Managers, and the Union Presidents held its second meeting on Tuesday, May 26, 2020.

Surveys to obtain initial feedback from families and staff members are being finalized and will be distributed via email later this week. Surveys for students and the community at large are in process and will be distributed soon. All the surveys will have a link to volunteer to participate in the planning process.

Stakeholder Forums are being organized and will be held between June 13 and June 30th. These forums will be an opportunity for members of our community to share their experiences and ideas with the school principals and district leadership.

Staff from all across the SAU volunteered to participate in the Task Forces planning for the 2020-2021 school year. The Task Forces are formed and will begin weekly meetings next week.
The task force membership can be found on the SAU 34 Website.

Be safe and stay well.
Patricia Parenteau, Assistant Superintendent