6/10/2020
Dear Brewer Families,
I wanted to reach out as more conversations are happening regarding the opening of Maine’s public K-12 schools next Fall.
In Brewer, like many other districts, we’ve been discussing the range of options that exist. What will emerge will be an outline that covers all the different possibilities around how we could begin the 2020-2021 school year. Any level of uncertainty is uncomfortable, but unfortunately we can’t nail this down to a single plan at this point in time because, in this equation, the virus is the variable and we can’t know where it will be in its spread and severity by September. The Maine Center for Disease Control (CDC) and Maine Department of Education (DOE) will provide the guidelines we’ll need to align with as we finalize specific Brewer plans for reopening. They will likely need to wait until late July or into August in order to more accurately gauge the many COVID-related issues.
That said, we have been working on outlining contingency plans for whatever eventuality we end up facing in our schools and we will be smart, safe, and work as hard as we can to create the best possible situation and outcomes for our students knowing that we may need to shift between levels of return during at least part of the year as the facts change. But please know that our students’ physical and social/emotional safety, and their learning is at the center of our thinking.
You will be hearing more from us soon. In the meantime we want every student to be healthy and to manage their worries and any anxiety they might be feeling in the here and now. If you are concerned with how your child is doing emotionally you can contact the NAMI MAINE HELPLINE. Their number is 800-464-5767, press 1 (helpline@namimaine.org). Also, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at the Brewer School Department as well, at (207) 989-3160. You can also use the number 2-1-1 to get general information regarding the Coronavirus outbreak.
This has been a challenging stretch of time, and I deeply appreciate how you’ve supported your students and our community. The Brewer School Department stands proudly shoulder to shoulder with you as partners throughout this crisis and as we all look forward to better days ahead.
Sincerely,
Gregg Palmer