BIDDEFORD MIDDLE SCHOOL NEWSLETTER

In the month of December, we have had the opportunity to practice our FULL Lockdown Emergency Protocol at school, our winter sports season is in full swing, and we welcomed our band and chorus back to the stage for the first time in two years in a BEAUTIFUL Winter Band and Chorus concert on December 10th.

I would like to reiterate what Superintendent Ray wrote in his December 10th update regarding the reduction of quarantining close contacts during the second half of the school year thanks to our vaccination clinics. If your child has been fully vaccinated, please complete the Google Form below and upload a photo to assist our School Nurses with contact tracing. Fully-vaccinated individuals do not have to quarantine if identified as a close contact so long as they remain asymptomatic. Also, if your family plans to travel for the holidays, please be aware of travel guidance and testing requirements (linked here).

As we navigate into the holiday season, Biddeford Middle School would like to send very Happy & Safe Holiday Wishes to you and your family!

Be safe and healthy,

Mr. Scott Descoteaux

Principal - Biddeford Middle School

Doors Open/Arrival: 8:20AM

Late Bell/Tardy: 8:30AM

Dismissal: 2:45PM - 2:50PM

Early Release Dismissal: 12:50PM

• December 23: Early Dismissal - 12:50pm
• December 24 - December 31: No School - Winter Holiday Break
• January 3 - Return to School
• January 12: Early Dismissal - 12:50pm

Our district has also been fortunate to receive some grant funding to assist those in need. If your child is in need of warm winter gear, please reach out to a member of our student services team.

Perrin Gordon - pgordon@biddefordschools.me

Kristin Carlson - kcarlson@biddefordschools.me

Marleah Bronder - mbronder@biddefordschools.me

Lydia Martzial - lmartzial@biddefordschools.me

Each year, we offer a "Book Bazaar" going into our holiday season. All of our students will have an opportunity to select a book or books to give to family members at the Holiday. The Book Bazaar will be held Monday, 12/20-Wednesday, 12/22. Thank You once again to all of the people who have donated gently used books in support of this Book Bazaar.

Looking ahead to Winter Break, the last pooled testing date before the Winter Break will be Friday, December 17th. During the week December 20th, pooled testing will not be conducted or collected in any Maine schools. Although pooled testing will resume the following week we return (January 3rd), anyone participating who is unvaccinated and identified as a close contact from a school exposure would need to either:

• quarantine; or,

• be tested twice (on separate days) using an antigen test (BinaxNOW) so long as they remain asymptomatic and then resume the normal pooled testing schedule.

In the coming weeks, we will be working on updating student schedules for the second semester of the school year in Infinite Campus. Unified Arts Classes and Intervention Classes may be changed or updated depending on student needs The changes in Infinite Campus will only be finalized in mid-January.

Thank You for your patience.

Supported by APEX Youth Connection

Scott Descoteaux, Principal

Email: sdescoteaux@biddefordschools.me
Website: https://biddefordme.sites.thrillshare.com/o/bms
Location: 25 Tiger Drive, Biddeford, ME, USA
Phone: (207) 284-6400
Facebook: facebook.com/ourschool