Saco public schools will switch to remote learning for the week following Thanksgiving and Thornton Academy, shown here, which began remote learning Nov. 10, will continue through Dec. 4. Courtesy photo
SACO — Saco public schools are to switch to remote learning for the full week following the Thanksgiving holiday, through Dec. 4, the School Board voted on Wednesday, Nov. 18.
Two days later Thornton Academy, the private school that serves as the public high school, announced it too would offer remote learning that week — in their case continuing the remote model begun Nov. 10, according to Headmaster Rene Menard.
“According to the Maine CDC’s School Health Advisory Map, York County will move to a yellow designation at this time, reflecting the continued increase of positive cases across the state and country,” Menard wrote to parents on Friday, Nov. 20. “As you know …. nine members of our community are currently diagnosed with COVID-19, and a transition to fully remote learning was made on Nov. 10 in an effort to mitigate the risk of community transmission as much as possible. Last night, our board of trustees voted to remain in a remote format for an additional week after Thanksgiving break, from Monday, Nov. 30 through Friday, Dec. 4. Students will continue with our current remote instruction format during this time.”
The Saco School Board vote was 5-2, with Chair Art Tardif and Beth Johnston casting the dissenting votes. The switch to a remote format for Saco public schools was recommended by school staff.
Biddeford and Dayton School Superintendent Jeremy Ray announced a week ago that all Biddeford schools and Dayton Consolidated School would switch to remote learning for the week following Thanksgiving, in an attempt to minimize risk of coronavirus.
In his letter to Thornton Academy families, Menard addressed travel and quarantines.
“Any student, faculty, or staff member who chooses to travel to a non-exempt state will be expected to observe the state-mandated, 14-day quarantine, or submit proof of a negative COVID-19 test before a return to in-person instruction,” Menard advised. “If your family intends to travel to a non-exempt area, we ask that you communicate your travel details to our nurses at health@thorntonacademy.org.”
As of Nov. 20, only New Hampshire and Vermont were considered exempt, but that could change.
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