Lewiston-Auburn schools reopening Monday

A shortage of drivers for Connors Elementary School bus runs was resolved Thursday morning, Lewiston interim Superintendent Jake Langlais said.

He had reported to the School Committee on Monday that two more drivers or double runs were needed to avoid asking pupils in grades three through six to walk less than a mile along a path to the inner-city school.

Drivers also were found for out-of-district placement students who travel to Scarborough by van.

“It was a tight window, but the team got it done,” Langlais said Thursday. Routes were posted on the district’s website Thursday afternoon.

Schools in Lewiston and Auburn are set to reopen Monday. Schools statewide closed in mid-March to slow the spread of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19.

Lewiston and Auburn districts delayed their scheduled openings by two weeks to work on staffing, busing and ventilation and to assign students to “cohorts.” The members of each group will attend school in person two days a week and will get remote instruction the remaining three days.

Auburn Superintendent Connie Brown said Thursday that the district is still short one teacher at Walton Elementary School and needs more than a dozen education technicians districtwide.

“We still have vacancies, but we are ready,” she said. “Teachers are ready, buildings are ready, all of the (personal protective equipment) and plexiglass is in.”

She said the district could not get hand sanitizer for wall-mounted dispensers, so the school year will begin with hand pumps in each classroom. The district has 100 gallons on hand, Brown said.

She said bus routes have been published and Auburn has enough drivers.

“We can always use spares for people who have to be out,” she said. “To be honest, we never have enough, but we are not in the same position as others (who have shortages).”

Brown said Apple computer devices were ordered in July and the goal is to have a device in every student’s hands by Monday for remote instruction.

Lewiston still has a shortage of computers for students, Langlais said Thursday. He said Monday that worldwide demand during the pandemic has created a 5-million-device shortage.

“The devices we’re waiting on are for the younger children,” he said.

He said sanitizing spray bottles for classrooms, ordered two weeks ago, had not yet arrived but he expected schools to get them this week.

He said Thursday that delays from vendors remained a challenge.

“Supplies are trickling in,” he said. “We anticipate the cleaning wipes to be on site for distribution Friday. The spray bottles are still behind the anticipated delivery date.”

Ventilation has been an issue in both school districts, most notably at Edward Little High School in Auburn and Lewiston High School. Classrooms must have “adequate” airflow that brings in fresh air from outside, according to state guidelines.

Both districts hired HVAC vendors in August to upgrade their systems.

“We are working on improving ventilation,” Langlais said Thursday. “We have opted to avoid using some spaces.”

To increase usable spaces, the district has bought “large, pop-up type tents similar to those used at the beach or for tailgating,” he said. They are on the way.

Brown said in August that Edward Little needed “significant” upgrades to its ventilation system and that vendors would evaluate and make any needed repairs to EL’s unit ventilators.

“Vendors are also evaluating air handlers to ensure they are circulating the proper amount of fresh air,” she said in August. “Our vendors anticipate being able to have the repair work done before the start of school.”

Brown said Thursday in an email that the district will put up tents at Edward Little High School and the ventilation repairs are nearly done.

Last week she reported that one staff member at Auburn Middle School had tested positive for COVID-19. She said Thursday that no one else at the school had tested positive.