LEWISTON — Students are continuing their Lewiston Adult Education classwork with their teachers, even as schools stay closed to limit the spread of coronavirus. Distance learning with adult education students is part of a broad effort in Lewiston schools. Don Roux has sent emails to his adult students as they continue to prepare for their High School Equivalency Test (HiSET), which has taken the place of the GED in Maine.

At the B Street Community Center, college transition program instructor Amy Hatch is using Schoology with her students. Schoology is a social networking service and a virtual learning environment.

Construction training classes, which had also been held at B Street, have switched to online learning to complete the WorkReady curriculum. Thanks to a fundraiser by the Lewiston Auburn Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, students are getting laptops to help with their work. The Computer Place helped with the setup.

The donors for the laptops were Steven Johndro of Androvise Realty; Lewiston City Councilor Alicia Rea; Recovery Connections of Maine, LLC; State Rep. Kristen Cloutier and Denny Bourgoin as well as an anonymous benefactor.

Adult Learning Center Coordinator Laurie Champagne shared in an email that teachers are emailing, texting or calling their students to check in on them. Instructors who work with students to improve their English language skills are using the Rosetta Stone and the website ESL Library.

In the coming weeks, adult education students will also have access to Burlington English. This program will assist with English language instruction with a career focus.

Anyone with additional questions about Lewiston Adult Education can email Mike Reagan mreagan@lewistonpublicschools.org or leave a message at the Adult Learning Center; voicemail is checked remotely, at 207-784-2928.