LIVERMORE FALLS — The Regional School Unit 73 website includes two new documents added last week.

One is information regarding remote/distance learning opportunities will be available this fall, with changes, in the coming school year. The other is a reopening plan survey for families to complete.

A district committee has been meeting regularly regarding the 2020-21 school year and what instruction might look like. It has been using guidelines provided by the Department of Education and the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention regarding the return to in-class instruction. No final decisions have been made.

“The district sees the need for providing remote instruction to students who may be unable to attend school in person for a variety of reasons, regardless of how the district opens in the fall of 2020,” the document on remote learning states.

Maine has issued a draft framework for returning to school
(https://www.maine.gov/doe/covid-19/reintegrate) and stated the ultimate decision for how schools reopen will be made at the state level.

“We hope to have a more concrete plan at the beginning of August, that should coincide with the state releasing their final thoughts as well as where all schools will fall when it comes to the level of safety to return. The state is working on the metrics of that at the moment,” Superintendent Scott Albert said in an email Monday. “No matter how school opens in the fall we will have a remote/distance learning component for students. The expectations and accountability for teaching and learning will be greater than that of remote/distance learning that took place in the spring.”

The distance learning document indicates RSU 73 is working to reopen schools safely and effectively in alignment with state requirements. Students and parents should understand that remote/distance learning will look different this fall with changes in instructional practices and learning expectations, it states.

They include exploring new technologies and resources and a ramped up approach to accountability, where students initially are provided specific feedback on work and assessments to provide improved learning opportunities for students.

Once students understand the learning expectations, work will be graded and students will be accountable. As the year moves on, students will need to be accountable and demonstrate proficiency in meeting standards needed to move forward, it states.

In the survey, RSU 73 is looking for answers on the number of students who will be attending schools and how many will need bus transportation. It also needs to know how many students will be learning remotely, if internet access is available for them, if an adult will be available during remote learning and if meals will be needed.

The survey also asks for information on students who will not be returning to Spruce schools and preferences for social distancing, alternating schedules, the use of face masks and grouping of similar students.

“How important is it for all students to have an opportunity to return to school full time in-person when school opens at the regularly scheduled time,” the survey asks and also provides space for additional comments or suggestions.

“We would like the surveys back as soon as possible. We have already had 240 responses connected to about 370 students or 26% of our population,” Albert said. “We would prefer only families to fill out the survey, we believe they have an understanding and connection with their own childcare/daycare needs.”

The survey can be completed and submitted online. An email address must be included and some answers for some questions are required. The survey is available through the link provided earlier in this article or by visiting the district’s website, http://rsu73.org/.