Wiscasset administrators continue to bring back more and more students to in-person instruction as space becomes available. Superintendent Terry Wood said at the Tuesday night, Feb. 9 school committee Zoom meeting, 50 students are still fully remote. Wiscasset Middle High School Principal Chuck Lomonte said all of the highest need students at WMHS have returned for a total of 62 more students coming back since Jan. 4.

Wood also said they have been preparing for the February vacation week starting Feb. 15, and making sure families are aware of Center for Disease Control guidelines if they are traveling out of state.

Lamonte said a representative from the local ClipperMart owned by Exxon Mobil presented the school with a $500 check to support science and mathematics. He said the business gives out these gifts each year. He also noted the new classroom being constructed where the former boys locker room was is almost complete and they hope to have a ribbon cutting Feb. 22. The locker room had essentially remained the same since 1973. The addition of the classroom will allow the remaining middle school students to return to in-person instruction if they choose.

The addition of portables for more classrooms is on hold due to cold temperatures, the need to put the portables on a granite slab rather than a gravel pad, and contractor availability. Director of Maintenance and Transportation John Merry said, “I’ll get it done as timely as I can.”

Nurse Marilyn Sprague reported that since more students have come back to the elementary school her office has become much busier, particularly at the end of the week. “They're adjusting but by Friday they're tired, and so it's manifesting itself in stomach aches and headaches.” She also reported that while it was still uncertain when teachers will receive the COVID-19 vaccine, teachers and all staff members will receive it.

Sarah Adkins and Gordon Clark were approved as grades 6-8 teachers. Their hires will allow students to be split up according to CDC guidelines as more and more students return.  

The committee meets next at 7 p.m. March 9 via Zoom.