Hello Great Falls Families, 

 

Thank you for doing such a great job completing the daily health screener for your child. We want nothing more than to stay on campus and keep everyone safe and healthy. Please know that the guidelines we are following are not unique to Gorham. We are following the guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Department of Education (DOE). 

COVID symptoms are new symptoms to your child that include: headache, uncontrolled cough, sore throat, runny nose, congestion, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, chills, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, the new loss of taste or smell, rash, and a fever of 100 or more. If your child has any of the COVID symptoms, please indicate the symptoms on the daily health screener and keep your child home. If they come to school and develop symptoms, you will be asked to pick your child up. In both circumstances, it will be necessary for you to contact your Healthcare Provider. Your Healthcare Provider (HCP) will need to complete the “Return to School” form for your child to return to school.  

This form will allow your Healthcare Provider to indicate which of the following scenarios occurred:

• Your child was found to have another source of symptoms, Covid-19 testing was NOT done, and your child may return to school 24 hours after the fever has resolved and other symptoms are improving.

• Your child was NOT found to have another source of symptoms, COVID-19 testing NOT done, and your child may return to school after a minimum of 10 days after the start of symptoms and 24 hours after the fever has resolved and other symptoms are improving.

• Your child has a negative test for COVID-19 and may return to school 24 hours after the fever has resolved and other symptoms improve.

• Your child has a positive COVID-19 test and may return to school a minimum of 10 days after the start of symptoms and 24 hours after the fever has resolved and other symptoms are improving. The Maine CDC will be notified. 

• Your child is asymptomatic but has a positive COVID-19 test and may return to school a minimum of 10 days from the test date.  If symptoms develop, the student must then stay home for 24 hours after the fever resolves and other symptoms are improving.  The Maine CDC will be notified. 

• Your child has a known exposure to someone positive with COVID-19 and must quarantine for 14 days from the date of the last exposure. 

Once again, these are the CDC and DOE guidelines for all to follow. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our school nurse, Melissa Tringali at melissa.tringali@gorhamschools.org or 222-1062. We understand that these procedures are different than in the past and appreciate your understanding during these difficult times. 

Thank you for your ongoing support and partnership. Please be sure to check out the Great Falls News frequently for important information. Please reach out if you have any questions. We are here to help!

Take care and be well.

Becky Fortier and Deanna Etienne, Great Falls Administrators