GRAY – When roughly 2,056 students arrive at SAD 15’s five schools in Gray and New Gloucester Thursday they stepped into buildings that underwent the district’s largest summer maintenance program.

In addition, ambitious abatement projects at two elementary schools are complete, the school board learned on Wednesday. Both Memorial School in New Gloucester and Russell School in Gray were completely emptied and closed while the abatement teams took over the buildings for much of the summer. And, teachers finally moved equipment and supplies by mid-August into the Labor Day weekend to set up classrooms in a last minute flurry of activity.

The school board heard nothing but praise from building principals and the district’s facility manager about the scope of the summer projects and how well staff worked together to get the work done in time for school’s opening.

“It’s not about efforts, but about results,” said Brian McDonnell, director of Finance and Operations.

In addition, a school consolidation plan reconfiguring three elementary schools is in place. Russell School and Memorial School will house students in kindergarten through grade two and Dunn School in New Gloucester serves grades three to five.

Paul Penna, the new principal at Gray-New Gloucester High School, said students will be assigned a home room this year and begin a modified schedule this week. And, all entering freshmen attended an orientation session with a motivational speaker, former Lewiston Mayor John Jenkins, who talked about steps to success and how to get good grades.

At Gray-New Gloucester Middle School, students will take up the highest degree of instructional space ever. A formal garden at the entrance of the school will greet students.

Ice cream socials at the three elementary schools brought an outpouring of students and their families this week in efforts to prepare students to return to school.

“The school looks terrific,” Russell School Principal Ellen Beale said. “It was an incredible undertaking. We got there.” A nearly new playground was constructed with the help of volunteer parents.

“One teacher unpacked 145 boxes and refused help,” said interim principal Donna Beasley of Memorial School. “Teachers in the classrooms are coming from three different schools. We will ride on the tails of the wonderful reputation that Memorial has had in the community.”

In other business, the board discussed the disposition of Pennell Institute and adjacent Anderson Laboratory and land.

An ad hoc committee of school board members, officials from Gray and New Gloucester are working to come up with a plan that meets the needs of all interested parties to dispose of the buildings that the school department says cannot be maintained.

The buildings and land are part of an educational trust established the late 1800s for the benefit of educating Gray students. In 1961 when SAD 15 was formed the court ruled that the buildings and trust be part of the district and ruled to take them from Gray’s jurisdiction.

Now, Gray leaders want to take the buildings and trust back at no cost.

But Maine’s attorney general last June ruled that the district can only sell the buildings and land at fair market value or trade them for equally valued property for school purposes.

Gray leaders say their interest was not considered when the School Department sought a ruling from the attorney general.

The board discussed the possibility of accompanying Gray as a friendly observer for advisory information to determine if Gray can legally take back the trust and its assets. If that occurs, then all interested parties may consider attending with their lawyers.

SAD 15 school board members say they will go with the attorney general’s ruling and do not favor requesting any change.

In addition, the board grappled with spending up to $10,000 to do an environmental assessment of Pennell Institute. The board will take action on both issues at the next meeting on Sept. 17.