7574-R1_LGP_MechanicFalls_AnnualReport_2021_Text_4C_Web

February 2021 Dear Residents of Mechanic Falls, Minot and Poland, To say that this year has been a challenge would be an understatement. With all of the restrictions and safety measures we have had to implement, school has looked very different for the teenagers of your towns. Despite all of the challenges, however, we are very proud of how we have continued to provide the very best educational experience we can. Here are some of the highlights: ● The class of 2020 graduated last June in our parking lot, providing a great celebration of their achievements, in spite of the state shutdown. Thanks to the sheriff's department and all of the PRHS staff and faculty for making this happen. ● As of February, we have been open for in-person education all but 9 days this year. We were able to avoid excessive school virus shutdowns because our students and families have done a great job following the safety guidelines. ● Because our students and families have done such a good job following safety guidelines, we have had no known cases of Corona virus transmission in our school. ● In spite of the disruptions, our overall failure rate (% of students who fail at least one class) is lower than previous years. This represents some really hard work by our students, teachers and families. While there are highlights to celebrate during this crazy year, there is no doubt that a disrupted school year is not ideal for our students and their families. There are definitely students who have struggled with the disruption to the school schedule more than others, and we have worked hard to try to provide them and their families with extra support. The CDC requirements for school safety make it extremely difficult to operate a normal school schedule but we are absolutely committed to doing everything we can to bring students back to school as much as possible. Whether or not that can happen this year we don’t know, but we are already planning for how to try to open for school 5 days a week. I want to thank the citizens of our school district for all of the support you have given to us. We are committed to earning that support and providing the best education we can offer to the children of our community. Sincerely, Cari Medd

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