LIVERMORE FALLS – The piles of supplies, furniture and equipment should all be moved back into the SAD 36 classrooms by now.

The halls are most likely clear just waiting for most students to come through the doors Wednesday.

On Thursday, high school sophomores, juniors and seniors will join the student ranks of kindergarten through ninth-grade at school.

It’s been a whirlwind summer but a productive one in SAD 36. Administrators at all levels have been busy as have custodians and other staff members.

New Middle School Principal Matt Gilbert is ready for opening day.

It’s his first year as lead principal in a school. He has nine years in as an educator and was Mountain Valley High School’s assistant principal for the last three years.

Gilbert has been working all summer to stay on top of things and to put into motion the big goal: to have Livermore Falls Middle School be the “best” middle school.

He doesn’t plan to do it alone. He plans to work with staff, students and the community to get this done.

Gilbert will oversee students in two school buildings this year. The middle school, which houses seventh- and eighth-graders and the Cedar Street Complex, where new classrooms for sixth-graders have been created at the former Intermediate Learning Center.

By the end of Thursday, Gilbert said there would be a Livermore Falls Middle School sign installed on the front of the overhang at the main building entrance.

A trophy case to showcase accomplishments in all areas is already in the lobby.

“When you walk in, I want you to know that you are at Livermore Falls Middle School and we have a proud tradition,” Gilbert said, as he started to walk down the hall to see how sixth-grade classrooms were progressing.

Custodians were unloading a truck of teachers’ desks, filing cabinets and tables to be brought into the building, which also houses the Central Office and Head Start. Stacks of books were wheeled into classrooms on dollies.

Teachers were stopping by to check out their new rooms.

Sixth-graders are to be bused up to the Middle School building once a day to eat lunch and then participate in unified arts classes, including healthy living, French, guidance, physical education and career preparation.

“The schools are ready, I’m ready and the staff’s ready,” Gilbert said. “We just need some students now.”

dperry@sunjournal.com