GARDINER — Gardiner Regional Middle School will be doing remote instruction for a second week in a row because of positive COVID-19 cases and staffing shortage.

Superintendent Patricia Hopkins said in a letter Friday afternoon there are approximately 80 students at the middle school in quarantine and seven unfilled teaching positions over “various reasons,” Hopkins said.

“With so many unfilled teaching positions, it is impossible for us to safely run the school,” Hopkins said in the letter.

The middle school will use Monday and Tuesday as a remote learning days ahead of the long Thanksgiving weekend. Students already have Wednesday, Thursday and Friday off for the holiday.

In-person learning is expected to resume Nov. 29.

“In person learning is my top priority this year,” Hopkins said in the letter. “I know how isolated many students felt last year and am disappointed to not be able to allow students to return to the building next week. It is my hope that this situation is a blip in time that will not be repeated next school year.”

Hopkin’s letter included a link for families to sign up to receive lunch and breakfast — families who need to do so can pick it up Monday between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.