October 23, 2020
Dear Staff and Families,
I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for all you are doing to keep our schools and communities safe during this Covid 19 pandemic. It is a credit to your diligence that people have implemented the safety precautions here at our schools and out in our communities allowing our schools to react and adjust quickly when cases where identified within our school communities.
As you are aware, we use a digital screening tool called Ruvna for covid screening. Ruvna consists of 4 questions; the first is about new symptoms, and the following three questions are about temperature, travel outside the state of Maine, and being in close contact with anyone who has tested positive for Covid 19. We are doing this as a mandate from the State of Maine as a provision for keeping our schools open. The questions that are used in Ruvna are the same as those found on this paper screener. (See image)
Ruvna images:
Symptoms Symptoms cont. Question 2/3 Question 4 Paper Screener image:
I can not overstate the importance that everyone (staff and students) check themselves daily BEFORE coming to school. Each of these questions is designed to alert you to the need to seek guidance from your health care professional based on your responses and to stay home for the safety of yourselves as well as those at school. By being extra cautious we can keep ourselves and those around us as safe as possible.
I strongly recommend you visit this video that was put together by our nursing team to help you understand the questions, how to interpret the “results” and when to seek guidance from your Primary Care Physician. The video can be accessed here.
We respectfully ask that you participate with Ruvna, sent each morning through text message and/or email. Alternatively, you can print the screener and post it in a prominent location to be reviewed as part of your morning routine. We would ask that you notify the school nurse of your intention to use the paper screener only which they will document. Should you have any questions or fail the screener please reach out to your child’s school nurse for clarification. By participating in the daily screening you are doing your part to keep our school communities safe and with the approach of cold and flu season this becomes even more important.
Please understand that while many common symptoms may keep you home when you normally would attend work or school these are unprecedented times and we are using a multi-layered approach to try and keep our school buildings COVID-19 free. This may result in decreased in-person learning opportunities or absences from work and we fully acknowledge the frustration that this may cause you and your family. We encourage your child to participate in remote learning if offered at your level and if they feel well enough to do so but should not attend school in person according to their symptoms or a pending test result.
These are indeed unusual circumstances and nothing about the school year can be considered normal but together we can continue to offer in-person schooling by everyone doing their part. If you have any questions about daily covid screening please reach out directly to the appropriate building administrator or school nurse. Again, thank you for all you are doing!
Sincerely,
James Charette
Superintendent of Schools