A meet and greet was held Tuesday, Sept. 8, for Regional School Unit 9 4th grade students learning in the remote academy this year. Teacher Sarah Carlson at right passes a bag of supplies to Raiden Saunders of Wilton while mom Amanda Saunders looks on. Pam Harnden/Livermore Falls Advertiser
FARMINGTON — Regional School Unit 9 fourth grade students who will be learning remotely this year were invited to meet their teachers Tuesday morning, Sept. 8, in the Meeting House Park gazebo.
Tuesday was the first day of school for RSU 9 students after directors approved delaying the start of school to give staff time to better prepare and train.
Sarah Carlson and Patti Murray both came out of retirement to teach in the remote academy.
“Patti and I have known each other for more than 30 years, but we never worked together. I had been retired 1 month, Patti 1 year,” Carlson said.
With a love of teaching, they came back to teach remotely, Carlson added.
Regional School Unit 9 fourth grade students learning remotely this year met their teachers in Farmington’s Meeting House Park gazebo Tuesday, Sept. 8. Raiden Saunders of Wilton looks over the bag of supplies he was given while his teacher Patti Murray at left talks with mom Amanda Saunders. Pam Harnden/Livermore Falls Advertiser
There are 37 fourth graders who will be learning in the remote academy, split into groups of 18 and 19, Murray said.
“We’ll be a lot more in touch than regular school,” she told one parent.
“We have had a great turnout. In grades kindergarten to grade five, there are more than 200 kids in all that will be learning remotely in the district,” Carlson said. “The fourth graders come from 3 different schools.”
Most of the fourth grade kids had stopped by with a family member to meet their teachers, verify computer/internet access and have any questions answered. A bag filled with folders of activities to be used over the next several weeks, notebooks, information and other supplies was also given to each student.
“A few parents had to work. Their students’ materials will be taken to their schools,” Carlson said. “A Zoom session is planned for them this afternoon.”
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