MEXICO — Mountain Valley Community School students in grades 6-8 will begin classes on Tuesday, Jan. 20, while pre-K through grade 5 students will start Monday, Jan. 26, according to Regional School Unit 10 Superintendent Deb Alden.

During a weekly meeting with building contractors with Landry-French, who have been working with subcontractors to develop a timeline, the planned transition schedule will be made over two weeks.

From Jan. 12-16, students in grades 6-8 will not have school while teachers and staff move from the old middle school to the new building.

From Jan. 16-23, pre-K through grade 5 students will not have school while teachers and staff move from Meroby and Rumford elementary schools to the new building.

To support the move, all schools in the Mountain Valley region will have half-day Fridays from Nov. 21 to Jan. 9. This will provide teachers and staff dedicated time to pack, plan and prepare. Additionally, pre-K students who typically have school on Fridays will instead have school on Wednesdays during those weeks.

At the Oct. 14 meeting of the RSU 10 Board of Directors, Alden said Landry-French is planning an open house for the community on a Saturday in November. That is tentatively planned for Nov. 15, but “will need to be firmed up (at the) Oct. 22 meeting with them.”

The tour would be through the building, but not into every single room. As the contractors are completing a room and getting it checked off, they’re trying to keep them clean and ready for the move, Alden said.