Islesboro Central School submitted the following statement:

Staff at Islesboro Central School (ICS) have begun receiving their vaccinations and are preparing to expand the school week to five days for all K-12 students.

Throughout the pandemic, ICS has made decisions based on caution regarding social distancing and continues to remain COVID free. We developed a hybrid/cohort model that has served us well. Now that the vaccine is being administered to educational personnel, we are readying ourselves to phase into a more traditional schedule.

We will be able to do so while maintaining the three foot social distancing that continues to be advised by the CDC and DOE. Administration will recommend a plan for consideration to the school board on April 6. In that plan, remote learning and online attendance will be phased out as early as April 26, when we return from April break. Concern for our students' health has been at the forefront of our decision making.

Now that a vaccine has been made available, we turn our attention to the social and emotional well being of our students. It has long been observed that the uncertainties and challenges attributed to COVID have been detrimental to the mental health of students. We feel it prudent and wise to return to as normal a schedule as possible.

Warmly 

Chuck Hamm 

Head of School 

Islesboro Central School