BETHEL — Telstar High and Telstar Middle schools are closed due to a nonfunctioning fire alarm system.

The alarm system failed during a drill Wednesday afternoon.

According to Maine School Administrative District 44 Superintendent Mark Kenney, it could be Monday before technicians can examine the system.

In the interim, students are attending classes at Sunday River ski area in Newry.

“We cannot have staff and students in the building without a working alarm system,” Kenney said in a message to parents. “Through the generosity and help of Sunday River, we are going to still be able to hold school for grades 6-8, 10-12 at the South Ridge base lodge for the next two days. We will be able to use the entire complex in and around South Ridge to hold classes.”

Ninth graders will continue to attend classes at Telstar Freshman Academy, held at the University of Maine 4-H Camp & Learning Center in Bryant Pond village in Woodstock. Vocational Region 9 students will still be shuttled by van to the Mexico school like a regular day.

Kenney praised Sunday River personnel for quickly stepping in and making the facility available for classes Thursday and Friday, hosting about 300 students and staff. Classes include both indoor and outdoor studies. The plan came together within 15 minutes Wednesday afternoon.

The resort is also providing breakfast and lunch for students, Kenney said.

Students are reporting to the Telstar complex Thursday and Friday and gathering in front of the building. After attendance is taken, the buses, after dropping off the elementary school students, will come back to shuttle everyone to Sunday River.

The goal is to depart Telstar between 8 and 8:15 a.m. for South Ridge and return to Telstar campus on Route 26 at 1:45 p.m. for dismissal.

The use of Sunday River should allow the school to avoid taking two snow days that will be needed later in the year. Kenney hopes the days are as engaging as possible. The district must meet 50% attendance each day to count as a school day.

Athletic practices and games will still take place as scheduled. If athletes need to gather items from the locker room, they must be escorted and will be limited to less than five minutes to get in and out.