Maine CDC Places Fort Kent Community High School/Valley Rivers Middle School on "Outbreak Status" for the Second Time

April 27, 2021

Dear MSAD27 Family Members, 

We are notifying you that Fort Kent Community High School/Valley Rivers Middle School has been designated with an “outbreak status” by the Maine CDC due to the recent number of individuals associated with the school contracting Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).  This is the second time CHS/VRMS has received this designation by the CDC.  One additional individual associated with CHS/VRMS has tested positive over the past 24 hours, and CHS/VRMS now has 7 active cases. An outbreak means that there are three or more confirmed cases of COVID-19 from 3 different households within 14 days of each other based on PCR testing.

Our school nurse discussed this with the CDC and we will continue to follow their  guidance moving forward.   The outbreak status will only end 14 days after the last positive test or symptom onset related to this outbreak, whichever is later.  Each Thursday, the Maine CDC updates school outbreaks on this dashboard.   

A major piece of the outbreak plan we had discussed with the CDC and DOE on February 2 when both CHS/VRMS and FKES were placed on outbreak status, was communicating to our community about their role in making our community safe for students to stay in school.  The schools need community support so we can end this school year with students still in classrooms, sports teams on the field, and graduates marching across the stage with family members in attendance.  We must also help educate ourselves and others about the benefit of the COVID-19 vaccine.   

Sincerely,

Benjamin Sirois Superintendent of Schools

Maine School Administrative District No. 27

Notice: Any CHS student age 16 or older can receive the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at school on Thursday, April 29 at 8:30am.  Students, please complete the google survey that was sent to your school email so that we have an accurate number of those interested. You will need to bring your signed consent form with you to the clinic on Thursday. You can also contact Nurse Monique to sign up your child for the clinic if you haven’t already done so.