RUMFORD — When classes let out for the day at Mountain Valley High School, the school doesn’t suddenly turn quiet.

Instead, the library comes alive with activity. Some days Meroby Elementary School students play games with high school teacher Jeff Bailey, and some days teacher volunteers stay until 4 p.m. to give students extra help with homework or computers.

Barbara Radmore, director of the after-school program, said each Wednesday Meroby fourth- and fifth-graders come to the high school for mentoring activities.

“We want them to make connections with high school students and with different adults,” she said.

Last week, Bailey led students in a spy game by hiding a secret code for them to find and hide from others.

One of the high school’s student teachers, Will Lane, leads table games similar to Dungeons and Dragons. And Bailey also shows “Dr. Who” programs for high school students once a week.

Librarian Mary Gamble said keeping the library open for high school students helps them keep up with their homework.

A few years ago, a grant allowed teachers to stay until 4 p.m. to provide homework assistance. When that grant ran out, some teachers volunteered to continue doing it.

Donna Peare volunteers on Mondays, Sarah Knowlton covers the library on Tuesdays, Gamble provides assistance on Wednesdays, and Bailey either helps students with homework or provides other activities on Thursdays.

“Teachers, computers and all the library’s resources are available for students,” Gamble said. Everyone gets a snack, too.

Remaining open until 4 p.m. also provides a safe, warm, comfortable place for students to be, she said.

Gamble said the Robotics team or students in play practice often drop in for a snack. In the past, she said Zumba and yoga have been taught, and a book club has been held.

A group of students were comfortably seated on one of the library’s bright red sofas doing homework while waiting to go to a Youth Group meeting.

“We hang out on Wednesdays, do homework and have a snack,” freshman Dakota White said.

Bailey said many high school students like sci-fi books and shows, so his “Dr. Who” after-school event is usually quite popular.

“They like that ‘Dr. Who’ can go anywhere anytime,” Bailey said.