LIVERMORE FALLS — All Spruce Mountain schools in Regional School Unit 73 have moved to remote learning until Monday, Nov. 15, after many students and staff tested positive for COVID-19.

Out of an abundance of caution, all of RSU 73 were to go fully remote starting Wednesday, Nov. 3, and stay remote through Sunday, Nov. 14, according to a letter sent to staff, students and families from Superintendent Scott Albert. “We will return to in-school instruction on Monday, November 15th. This will give us a 12-day break from students being in our buildings and will hopefully help with the recent surge,” the letter continued.

Teachers were allowed one day to prepare for going fully remote if needed. All classes started Thursday for remote learning.

All RSU 73 extra- and co-curricular activities are suspended until Monday, Nov. 15.

All further updates from the Maine CDC we will be shared, the letter continued.

RSU 73 has just over 250 staff members and 1,390 students, Albert said in an email Thursday evening.

Over the three-day period ending Nov. 2, Maine reported 862 new cases and 12 additional deaths.

Albert reported at the Oct. 7 school board meeting that 40 students and six staff had tested positive since the beginning of the school year. 296 students were required to quarantine as a result, although 76 students were able to stay in school due to the mask mandate.

Concerns about the impact of quarantining on students and their families were shared by parents at the Oct. 21 board meeting.

A letter from Albert on Oct. 31 indicated there had been 15 new cases from all four schools in the district within the last four days. Those involved resulted in close contacts while in school.

A similar letter on Oct. 27 noted seven students and one staff member had tested positive, affecting every school with all but one person having close contacts while at school.

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