AUBURN — While Lewiston reviews protocols for future student outings, the Auburn School Department is planning field trips to Range Pond State Park this week and next, but is adding more precautions.

In the aftermath of a Lewiston Middle School seventh-grader’s drowning Tuesday at Range Pond during a school field trip, Superintendent Bill Webster said he is placing a freeze on any water-based student trips without his approval.

Webster said Tuesday night he was not sure what field trips were scheduled for Lewiston schools this week and next.

Auburn Superintendent Katy Grondin said the death of a 13-year-old Lewiston boy from drowning is a tragedy that is prompting Auburn to reassess its safety procedures.

“When something happens, we have to say, ‘OK, what is the next layer do we want to do?'” Grondin said.

Range Pond is a special place where many end-of-year class trips have been taken, she said. Field trips to Range Pond are planned for Auburn sixth-graders Thursday, Sherwood Heights second- and third-graders Friday and some Auburn Middle School teams Monday.

A letter is being sent home to parents outlining steps that will be taken to protect students’ safety. The letter also informs parents they can keep their children home on the day of the field trip. Parents can also allow their children to participate in the field trip but request that they not be allowed to swim.

Before Tuesday’s drowning, “we had already planned two additional lifeguards — there’ll be four lifeguards — plus we have teachers assigned to the water line. We want to make sure we have all eyes on supervision,” Grondin said, adding that teachers will constantly scan the water, making sure students are safe.

“One additional thing we’ve put in place is the buddy system,” Grondin said. Under this system, students will be paired with another student and told to keep an eye on each other.

Grondin said this should help teachers and lifeguards know who is in the water.

There will be buddy checks. When a whistle is blown, students will grab their buddy’s hand to show they are present.

In the letter to parents, Grondin explains there is more than swimming happening at the outings, and children do not have to swim to enjoy the field trips.

In Norway, Guy E. Rowe School Principal Daniel Hart sent an email to sixth-grade parents Tuesday announcing a planned field trip to Range Ponds State Park on Wednesday was canceled out of respect for the boy, his family and the school community.

Instead, the class will go to Lake Pennesseewassee Park in Norway for the afternoon.

“No swimming will be permitted,” he wrote in bold print.

“There are many play and recreational facilities at the park, as well as our Grade 6 Team providing many games and activities at the park,” Hart wrote.

After the field trip, students, staff and parent volunteers will walk from the school on Main Street to Norway Soft Serve in Paris for ice cream before returning to the school.

Children play on the beach Tuesday afternoon at Range Pond State Park in Poland. (Daryn Slover/Sun Journal)