Alternative Organizational Structure (AOS) 98 Superintendent Keith Laser announced to the Boothbay-Boothbay Harbor Community School District committee Nov. 10, a benefactor has picked up the $30,000 tab for AOS 98 central office parking lot repairs.

Said Laser, “I was contacted this weekend by Mr. Paul Coulombe. He said … 'How much do you need to fix the parking lot? I want to get behind it. There's a lot of good things going on at the school and I want to be able to support it.'”

The project was a concern in recent CSD trustees meetings as Laser brought the expenses to them rather than to the AOS 98 board. The building, though on CSD property, is shared by Southport Central, Georgetown Central and Edgecomb Eddy schools. Laser noted that all improvements in recent memory were carried out with AOS 98 funds, not CSD funds.

Coulombe’s interest in the project came out of coverage and reader comments in the Boothbay Register about which party should pay for the project, said Laser. Coulombe will be sending a $30,000 check and the project will be done by Nov. 23, Laser said.

Boothbay Region High School Principal Tricia Campbell said following Thanksgiving break, parent commitment letters will go out to families deciding on in-person or remote learning for next semester which begins in January. “At this time, we remain in the hybrid format at BRHS and we will continue with our two cohorts.”

Boothbay Region Elementary School Assistant Principal Matthew Lindemann said BRES also sent out parent commitment forms before second quarter which began Nov. 9. He said enrollment has grown over the past year and sits at 311 students.

“We had 12 students return yesterday and we were very excited to have those students back,” said Lindemann. “Right now, we have 274 students who are in-person and 37 students who are remote.”

Lindemann said no kindergarten through second grade students will be in-person, and three third through fifth graders and nine sixth through eighth graders will be in-person.

Dean of Students and Athletic Director Allan Crocker said Maine Principals Association canceled the cross-country state championships due to the uptick in COVID-19 cases.

The Seahawk boys were set to face Monmouth, Lisbon, Washburn District, Waynflete high schools and Maine Waldorf Nov. 11 and the girls, Monmouth, Maranacook, Houlton, Waynflete high schools and Maine Waldorf Nov. 14 at Troy Howard Middle School in Belfast. Said Crocker, “Athletes are required to wear masks while participating and they were concerned about the kids who haven't been training in masks running a race caliber event while being masked.”

Winter sport coaches and athletes can connect for virtual training starting Dec. 7, but the season’s outlook is still unclear, said Crocker. “Unless the level of the state changes, sports such as basketball – anything that's in that bottom risk category can't happen until that changes.”

Crocker said the swimming season is still up in the air as BRHS and Lincoln Academy have a cooperative team and LA has not said if it still plans to have that team. The indoor track team season will depend on another conference allowing the Seahawks in, something not likely to happen if indoor numbers are restrictive, said Crocker.

Committee member Ruth Macy said with COVID-19 cases going up, she is worried about the athletes passing a “germ ball” back and forth. Macy acknowledged no one is going to want to cancel a basketball season after a season without football, but the committee needs to weigh the risks.

Said Macy, “If … we're no longer able to offer education to our students in school for our students who really need education in school, is that worth the risk for our board to take? … It's hard for me to imagine how much efficacy there would be in wearing a mask for reduction of disease transmission if the mask is soaking wet. If you've ever been to a basketball game, you know that's what's going to happen. They're going to be soaked, pulling the mask away – I just don't see it.”