LIVERMORE FALLS — RSU 73 Superintendent Robert Wall unveiled a tentative plan Thursday night to use Spruce Mountain high and middle schools in Jay and a significant portion of the Jay Community Center to house all district high school students next year.
RSU 73 Superintendent Robert Wall points to a section of the Jay Community Center proposed to accommodate several classrooms for Spruce Mountain High School students. The tentative plan is to use Jay high and middle schools, and the Community Center to house all district high school students from Jay, Livermore and Livermore Falls.
He emphasized that no decision has been made, but it would require a study by Augusta architects Bunker and Savage in the next four weeks to determine what renovations and changes of use are needed.
Currently, Spruce Mountain High School students are housed at campuses in Jay and Livermore Falls; all middle school students at Jay Middle School.
The project would yield a total of 13 additional classrooms for high school students, a number Wall said would be sufficient.
“We need the right accommodations for students and staff that can be completed in a timely fashion,” he said. “We were told by the community to use existing space.”
In May, residents of the three district towns, Jay, Livermore and Livermore Falls, turned down a proposal for a $5.3 million addition to Spruce Mountain High School in Jay.
At the Sept. 13 board meeting, an option was presented to use modular classrooms in Jay to house the expected 500 district high school students in the 2013-14 school year.
As presented Thursday night, additional classroom space would be taken from Spruce Mountain Middle School next to the high school, and the connected Community Center.
Wall said the space in the lower section of the Community Center will need acoustical work to shield classrooms from noise. He said much of the space in that building is not being used and can accommodate several classrooms as well as lockers.
Much of the Community Center renovations could be done during the school year.
Renovations at the high and middle schools would likely take place next summer.
The sixth-grade will remain at the middle school, but five classrooms will be carved out for high school students. A section of the Jay high school will also be reconfigured to provide classrooms and offices.
A new telephone and security system must also be installed.
Wall said Bunker and Savage will perform the study for $8,000 taken from the district operational account.
If the board decides to go ahead with this proposal, a public hearing would be held and residents of the three towns would have to approve the project. Wall said if they do, the district would take out a bond to pay for it.
The board-led task force charged with finding a suitable option for expanding the high school will meet again at 5 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 4, to continue discussion and research into options.
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Plan presented for all Spruce Mountain High School students in J
There's Absolutely No Reason Why Kids still can't go to both Schools other than you Small Minded Town People on the school board don't want to do it. You were Forced into a Consolidation that NO ONE Wanted and Now you want to Take away all the Schools in Livermore Falls and Livermore.
This is the Stupidest Thing I've EVER Heard of doing. Livermore Falls and been around for many years and Died back in the 1980's when the Auburn Mall Opened up.
You want to revive the Town Yet, you want No Schools in it. You tell Potential Families and businesses oh the Kids Go to School in Jay.
Really Seriously? Good Luck With that Stupid Idea.
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