Teacher Peter Hedden’s eighth-grade science class built rockets Thursday and launched them from the upper parking lot at Sunday River on Friday. Lindsay Luetje photo

NEWRY — For a couple of days last week, Sunday River Resort’s South Ridge Lodge turned into Telstar high/middle schools.

At lunchtime Friday, middle school students boarded the Chondola for a ride up the mountain. Lindsay Luetje photo

When a routine fire drill at the Telstar complex last Wednesday revealed the alarm system didn’t work, school officials had a bigger problem. Students cannot be in the building unless the system can operate. And the soonest the alarm company could look at the problem was the following Monday.

Taking two snow days the first week of school wouldn’t have gotten things off to a good start.

So they got creative and contacted Sunday River.

“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,” Supt. Mark Kenney wrote in an email to parents last Wednesday evening. “We will be able to use the entire complex in and around South Ridge to hold classes.”

And that’s what they did.

The students reported to Telstar first thing each morning and gathered outside until buses arrived to shuttle them to Newry. Sunday River served breakfast and lunch to students who wanted it.

At noon on a beautiful Friday, the students went outside for lunch to be served. Many took advantage of the lunchtime chondola rides up the mountain that were offered. Others visited with friends in the cafeteria. Classes took place both inside and outside, giving new meaning to the term “open classroom.”

TMS Principal Lindsay Luetje was asked what the best, as well as most challenging, parts of the two-day change of schedule and scenery were.

TMS students hung out in the cafeteria at lunchtime Alison Aloisio photo

“The best part of this experience was seeing how our staff and students handled the disruption,” she said. “They were creative, positive, brave, patient and demonstrated exactly what we hope to see in perseverant Rebels. I heard many thank yous, watched students delight in chondola rides and get to work discussing their books, writing constructed responses and launching rockets.

“The greatest challenge? I think the hardest part for me was telling the staff the news at 4 p.m. on Wednesday. Once I saw their reaction, I knew we were going to roll up our sleeves and make it great.”

She also expressed gratitude to Sunday River for accommodating the students and staff.

Not all Telstar students were at the resort. Ninth grade students who attend Telstar Freshman Academy in Bryant Pond and Region 9 students kept their regular schedules for the days.

Kenney said the alarm company had originally been scheduled to come to the school Sept. 20 for an annual inspection. They fixed the alarms on Saturday.