Don Roux is working with students online rather than in his Adult Learning Center classroom to help them get ready for their high school equivalency diploma.
Students are continuing their Lewiston Adult Education classwork with their teachers, even as schools stay closed to limit the spread of coronavirus.
The Lewiston School Department switched to distance learning last month to limit the spread of coronavirus. Following the recommendation of Maine Commissioner of Education Pender Makin, Lewiston schools will remain closed until the end of the academic year in June.
Distance learning with adult education students is part of a broad effort in Lewiston schools. The Lewiston School Department has lent laptops to elementary school students so the parents can do video conferences. High school and middle schoolers are continuing their online lessons with teachers during the shutdown.
Don Roux has sent emails to his adult students as they continue to prepare for their High School Equivalency Test (HiSET), which has taken the place of the GED in Maine.
Roux sent out an email to students to let them know of a website where they could take practice tests. HiSET testing remains on hold during the school closure.
“If you want to do some test preparation on your own, you may sign in to the HiSET Program site (HiSet.ets.org) and go to the section that offers free practice tests. You will find all the subjects and each test has the answers (and some with explanations) at the end of the test. If you need help with anything, just send me an email,” Roux wrote.
At the B Street Community Center, College Transition Program instructor Amy Hatch is using Schoology with her students. Schoology is a social networking service and a virtual learning environment.
Construction training classes, which had also been held at B Street, have switched to online learning to complete the WorkReady curriculum. Thanks to a fundraiser by the Lewiston Auburn Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, students are getting laptops to help with their work. The Computer Place helped with the setup.
The donors for the laptops were Steven Johndro of Androvise Realty; Lewiston City Councilor Alicia Rea; Recovery Connections of Maine, LLC; State Rep. Kristen Cloutier and Denny Bourgoin as well as an anonymous benefactor.
Adult Learning Center Coordinator Laurie Champagne shared in an email that teachers are emailing, texting or calling their students to check in on them. Instructors who work with students to improve their English language skills are using the Rosetta Stone and the website ESL Library.
In the coming weeks, adult education students will also have access to Burlington English. This program will assist with English language instruction with a career focus.
Anyone with additional questions about Lewiston Adult Education can email Mike Reagan mreagan@lewistonpublicschools.org or leave a message at the Adult Learning Center, voicemail is checked remotely, at 207-784-2928.