Willard, SHS, SRTC and SMS COVID ANNOUNCEMENT 2.9.21

February 9, 2021

Dear Faculty, Staff, Students and Families, 

This letter is to inform you that one individual associated with Willard School, two individuals associated with Sanford High School, two individuals associated with SRTC sending schools and four individuals associated with Sanford Middle School (SMS) recently tested positive for COVID-19.  Six of the individuals did not have any school close contacts.  School representatives have notified all contacts of the other three individuals at all schools.  All close contacts are required to quarantine for 10 days from their last exposure to the positive individual.  A negative test result does not get an individual out of quarantine.  Due to the quarantine at Sanford Middle School, 7th grade Learning Community #5 (LC 5) will be going full remote with return dates as follows:  LC 5 Group A will return to in-person learning on Monday, February 22nd and  LC 5  Group B will return to in-person learning on Tuesday, February 23rd.  At this time, all other SMS students and Sanford School Department students will follow their normal in-person learning schedule on Thursday,  February 11th.  Please be aware that we will continue to monitor the situation and this plan is subject to change due to staffing issues and/or additional circumstances.

We are informing everyone out of an abundance of caution.  Please continue to monitor yourself/your student for signs and symptoms and call a health care provider if symptoms start.  Stay home if you are sick.  Continue to follow the safety precautions that are in place.  Together our preventive steps can protect the health of our students, school personnel, and the Sanford community and allow in-person learning to continue safely. 

COVID-19 is a respiratory illness that ranges from mild to severe.  The virus mainly spreads when an infected person coughs or sneezes and an uninfected person breathes in the virus.  Signs and symptoms include:

·         Fever or chills

·         Cough

·         Shortness of breath/difficulty breathing

·         Fatigue

·         Muscle or body aches

·         Headache

·         New loss of taste or smell

·         Sore throat

·         Congestion or runny nose

·         Nausea or vomiting

·         Diarrhea 

Questions for the school can be directed to your building administrator.  For general COVID-19 questions, dial 211 (or 1-866-811-5695).  You can also text your ZIP code to 898-211 or email info@211maine.org.  Call a health care provider for questions about your symptoms.  More information can be found at www.maine.gov/dhhs/coronavirus or www.cdc.gov/coronavirus

Sincerely,

Matt Nelson, Superintendent of Schools