Maine School Administrative District #4 -

Mark your calendars! All PCES K-5 families are invited to participate in this year’s virtual @FamilyCodeNight at 6 pm on Monday, Dec. 7. Join us for a fun night of coding! Additional information and the link to join will be forthcoming!

Picture Retake Tomorrow at PCSS!

COMMUNITY MESSAGE FROM SUPERINTENDENT, Kelly MacFadyen DATE: December 1, 2020 RE: COVID-19 POSITIVE CASE AT Piscataquis Community Elementary School This letter is to inform you that an individual associated with Piscataquis Community Elementary School has tested positive for COVID-19. We were notified today and have been conducting extensive contact tracing as the positive test impacts the quarantine requirements. We have taken steps with our response team to follow Maine CDC and DOE guidelines to notify staff and students as appropriate. We believe it best to share what we can with our entire community. Here are some details: The individual who tested positive at Piscataquis Community Elementary School was last in attendance at the school on Tuesday, November 24, 2020. Nine (9) students and ten (10) staff members are now in quarantine. Students and staff required to quarantine have been contacted directly by SAD #4 nursing personnel. At this time, Piscataquis Community Elementary School will continue to operate school on the current schedule.

PCSS Positive Action Team gets grant for training in the nationwide Sources of Strength program, a teenage resiliency program designed to give students positive ways of dealing with adversity, ultimately reducing teen depression and suicide.

PCSS Parent Teacher Conferences November 23, 2020 3-7 pm. Call Guidance 876-3577 to schedule a conference. Also, please know that the buses will be blocking the driveway that goes to the main entrance in the PM. You will be held up if you park in front of the building.

Here is the link to the Girls Soccer Awards Night! https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BEGco43Nhebxp9pm7Bd0NUDsgv1CnwoE/view?usp=sharing

COMMUNITY MESSAGE FROM SUPERINTENDENT- Kelly MacFadyen DATE: 11-14-20 This message is to inform you that an individual associated with Tri-County Technical Center has tested positive for COVID-19. Contact tracing is being done because the positive test impacts the quarantine requirements in multiple school districts. Steps have been taken with the TCTC response team to follow the Maine CDC and DOE guidelines to notify staff and students as appropriate. As it is important to be transparent with our entire community, here are some details: The individual who tested positive was last in attendance at the school on Thursday, November 12, 2020.  Twenty-four students who attend TCTC and one staff member are now in quarantine. All students and staff required to quarantine have been contacted directly by CDC contact tracers and/or school personnel.  At this time, the Tri-County Technical Center will continue to operate the school on the current schedule. 

What: Trick or Treat Drive Thru Where: PCHS Parking Lot Time: 4-6 PM Guidelines this year due to COVID - All trick or treaters coming to the event must remain in their vehicle. -Groups handing out candy will be set up along the road within the school grounds, will be wearing masks and will sanitize in between trick or treaters. Please drive slowly and stop at the various booths set up along the route and you will be given candy.

PCES Food Service Staff going above and beyond to make things special for our students!

SPORTS PHYSICALS: Northern Light, Northwoods will be here on 10/29 to offer free sports physicals to 5th-12th graders. If you receive a notification from Mr. Gallant, then we do not have an updated physical on file. Please fill out the permission form and questionnaire attached to his robocall/email notification and return it to the school by the 28th. If you are unsure if your child is up to date, please email or call Mrs. Viera (wviera@sad4.org/876-4633). Forms will also be available in both offices. Let's hope for a winter sports season!!!

PCSS is doing PSAT testing next Wednesday the 14th. Practice booklets have been handed out in English classes. If you have not gotten one please contact the guidance office at 876-3577. If you have any questions please let me know either through email (dmcphail@sad4.org)

SAD4 will be holding its annual flu clinic on Friday 10/16 at both schools. If you returned a permission form your child will automatically receive the vaccination. Please let Mrs. Viera know if your child has already received the vaccination elsewhere. If your child is currently learning remotely, please contact Mrs. Viera to set up a time for your student to come into the school on Friday. wviera@sad4.org or 876-4633

Clarifying the Covid Spectator Policy for Athletic Contests. Each athlete gets two tickets. PCHS admin does not monitor who gets the ticket. We ask the families and athletes to give their tickets to local family or friends. If a person has a ticket at the gate we let them in.

ATTENTION SAD4 Parents. The CDC has alerted our schools due to the proximity of this restaurant in Rockwood. If you have eaten here (or close family members have) between September 16-22, please contact your family physician. If the Hepatitis A vaccination is given within 14 days of exposure, it is preventable. To: Medical Providers, Clinicians, Hospitalists, Health Care Facilities, Physician Practices, Corrections and Veteran Agencies, School Health Care, Emergency Services From: Dr. Nirav Shah, Maine CDC Director Subject: Acute Hepatitis A Case in a Food Service Worker in Rockwood, Maine Date / Time: Wednesday, September 30, 2020 at 5:10pm Priority: High Message ID: 2020PHADV032 ACUTE HEPATITIS A CASE IN A FOOD SERVICE WORKER IN ROCKWOOD, MAINE The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Maine CDC) has identified a case of acute hepatitis A virus infection in a Rockwood, Maine, food service worker. The case handled food while infectious from September 2, 2020,through September 22, 2020. Epidemiological assessment of the employee’s illness is determined that restaurant patrons may be at risk for hepatitis A infection. Maine CDC is recommending that anyone who may have eaten food prepared at or worked at The Birches Resort Restaurant in Rockwood on September 16, 2020, through September 22, 2020, receive hepatitis A vaccine within 14 days of their potential exposure as there is a 14-day window during which prophylaxis is effective after exposure. This recommendation includes anyone who may have had dine-in, take-out, delivery, or curbside pickup of food from the restaurant. Anyone who visited the restaurant from September 2, 2020 through September 15, 2020, is outside the window for which prophylaxis is recommended, but are advised to watch for symptoms and seek medical attention should they develop symptoms. Health care providers are encouraged to remain vigilant for hepatitis A infection in persons with consistent symptoms and should ask individuals with such symptoms about consumption of food from this establishment during this period. Background: Hepatitis A virus is transmitted by the fecal-oral route, commonly through consumption of contaminated food or water. Persons will begin to exhibit symptoms 15-50 days after exposure to the virus. A person is considered infectious approximately two weeks prior to symptom onset until one week after onset of symptoms. Exposed persons can receive post-exposure prophylaxis up to 14 days from exposure, after which, the treatment is no longer effective. Prophylaxis includes hepatitis A vaccine. Immunocompromised individuals or children under 12 months old should consult their health care providers about receiving hepatitis A immune globulin (IG). Recommendations: Health care providers should consider testing for hepatitis A if patients present with any of the following symptoms: Fever, jaundice, nausea, clay colored stool, dark urine, malaise, abdominal discomfort, anorexia, or vomiting. Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention 2020PHADV032 - Acute Hepatitis A Case in a Food Service Worker in Rockwood, Maine 2 Testing includes an acute hepatitis panel (should include hepatitis A IgM) and liver enzymes. Health care providers should review their patients’ vaccine records and offer hepatitis A vaccine to those who are eligible. Reporting: All cases of suspected and confirmed hepatitis A infection should be reported by phone to the 24/7 disease reporting and consultation line at 1-800-821-5821. For More Information: • Maine CDC Hepatitis website http://www.maine.gov/dhhs/hepatitis • Federal CDC’s Hepatitis A website http://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/HAV/index.htm • ACIP Hepatitis A vaccine recommendations: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/acip-recs/vacc-specific/hepa.html

The PCSS Virtual Open House in now available at the following link: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WQzrir99Q_mACEJ9MdlhKb8YETgSiczpuOPpsEj8208/edit?usp=sharing

Information on Penquis Youth Hockey

Click on the link below for important PCHS yearbook information. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1N-4pqSq6Vf0YnqYZdEWUBslAqJbURU4A/view?usp=sharing

If your child texts/calls you and asks if you can dismiss them due to an illness, the student MUST see the nurse before they are released. I hope you can understand that we need to be absolutely safe with an Covid symptoms and track those symptoms if necessary.

The Virtual Open House for PCSS is experiencing some technical issues. As soon as these are resolved we will send out the link for you all to meet your child's teachers virtually. Sorry for the delay.

For PCSS - Remote learners and 1 parent should be at PCSS at 8:00 am on Wednesday 9/9/20. A student can come alone, but will stay all day. TCTC students who are remote with PCSS will get bussed to TCTC after the orientation. Masks and social distancing required.