FARMINGTON – Regional School Unit 9’s Mt. Blue Middle School will be switching to remote learning this week according to a letter sent from Superintendent Christian Elkington. Elkington sent a notice to parents on Monday regarding the transition. This is the first time since the 2019-2020 school year that remote learning has been implemented.
Although the switch comes alongside an increase in positive case counts, the change is primarily due to a lack of substitute teachers according to Elkington. Elkington did not specify if educators are absent due to testing positive for COVID-19, but did note that the large number of staff who are unable to be at school in combination with a lack of substitutes is what lead to the decision.
The remote learning will take place from Tuesday, Jan. 18 through Friday, Jan. 21.
Elkington said that hotspots will be made available for families without internet access, and box lunches will be available for pick-up between 10 a.m. and noon every day. Breakfast for the next morning will be included.
For the week ending Jan. 14, RSU 9 reported nearly 100 positive cases of COVID-19, 17 of which were at Mt. Blue Middle School.
