RUMFORD — Regional School Unit 10 directors voted during an emergency meeting to request a five-day waiver from the Maine Department of Education closings this week due due to the coronavirus pandemic and to begin learning from their homes beginning Monday, March 23.

The seven district schools are Hartford-Sumner Elementary School in Sumner, Buckfield Junior-Senior High School, Meroby Elementary School in Mexico, Rumford Elementary School, Mountain Valley Middle School in Mexico, Mountain Valley High School in Rumford and the Western Foothills Regional Program in Rumford.

Director of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment Leanne Condon said students in Kindergarten through fourth grade will receive “storm packs,” this week.

Prepared by their teachers, the packs will have “copies of activities, books at students reading levels, math problems, etc., for two weeks, into one bag per child,” Condon said.

For students in grades five and six, the district will provide computers for each students. Teachers of students in grades five and six are doing a combination of creating plans that can be used through technology and also backup plans with the storm packs for students who do not have internet services at home, she said.

“For the teachers in grades seven through 12, we are focusing primarily on technology for remote learning,” Condon said. “Teachers are currently making contact with students at home to make sure that they have internet services and once that is confirmed students will use their technology for remote learning,”

If students don’t have internet access teachers are putting together storm packs for the middle through high school students also.

Condon also said Scott Holmes, RSU 10 building, grounds and transportation director, is working on a plan to deliver the storm packs and computers to students at their bus drop-off sites.

Also, Superintendent Deb Alden noted that Mountain Valley High School Principal Matt Gilbert did a quick survey of students at the high school Friday and found that 92% had access to reliable Wi-Ffi in their homes.

And according to the Mountain Valley High School webpage, “For families that are in need of internet (services) during the next few weeks, Spectrum is offering free internet for students whose school has been interrupted by COVID-19. To enroll in the program, call 1-844-488-8395. Installation fees will be waived for new student households.”

School Nutrition Director Jeanne LaPointe prsented a list of breakfast and lunch drop-off locations for all students up to age 18, beginning Wednesday.

Breakfasts and lunches are available for pickup Monday through Friday, with weekend meals included on Fridays. Hours are 10 a.m. to noon at Mountain Valley High School in Rumford, Rumford Elementary School, Meroby Elementary School in Mexico and Hartford-Sumner Elementary School in Sumner and Buckfield Junior-Senior High School.

Several vans will also drop off school meals at locations throughout the district. For a complete listing of drop-off locations and times to to rsu10.org.

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