POLAND – When Mike Maberry went to Elm Street School in Mechanic Falls he said the Pledge of Allegiance every day.

It was an expected part of his day, and it meant something special to him.

As a freshman at Poland Regional High School, Maberry last year found that he no longer had an opportunity to say the pledge. So he got involved.

Now a sophomore, Maberry will soon get the opportunity to pay tribute to the U.S. flag in a public forum, along with any other students and teachers who want to join him.

This week marked the official end of an arduous and democratic process initiated and carried through by students to provide a protocol for saying the Pledge of Allegiance. The student plan received its final endorsement Wednesday from the school committee.

“I feel very relieved,” said Maberry. “And I feel very thankful for the opportunities that Poland has given me.”

The school is planning a kick-off assembly early in the second semester to usher in the new protocol. Prior to the assembly, students will receive lessons during the first two weeks of humanities class, grades eight to 12, and social studies, grade seven, to learn about the pledge, according to the student plan. Lessons will include the history of the U.S. flag and the pledge, opposing views and controversies, pledge etiquette, and the student-written protocol.

“We didn’t really need to vote on it,” said Laurie Levine, a school committee member. “But the board certainly endorsed it. Mike is really a great kid. He is smart and articulate and respectful.” Levine said the board wanted to make sure that the protocol protected everyone’s rights.

The elementary schools in Minot, Mechanic Falls and Poland say the Pledge of Allegiance as a matter of morning routine. The issue has never been controversial in the lower grades.

“I believe it’s something that our community wants us to do,” said Mary Martin, principal at Elm Street school. “We do it every morning together, and I think our kids would miss if we weren’t doing it.”

Before the student plan won approval, the school had no official policy about the Pledge, said high school Principal Derek Pierce. “It wasn’t something we had considered one way or the other,” he said.

So the process began. Maberry became a member of the student governing body, Students In Action. After winning approval there, a school task force that included teachers, students, and parents posed tough questions about how Maberry’s idea would work. The task force met one morning last month for five hours to hammer out the details, Pierce said.

“I have been imminently impressed by all of the students who have worked on this,” he said. “The issue was how to do this in a meaningful way and realize that there are a lot of strong feelings both ways about the pledge.”

Maberry described the process as difficult and said he had received some harassment from peers about his efforts. However, he added that he also felt a great deal of support from his friends, from his parents, and from the school staff.

“There were some negative comments, and it was very hard to keep both sides equal,” Maberry said. “But that’s what Poland is all about. Students are allowed to say what they want to say. Just like I’ve been allowed to express my opinions.”

After the school task force finished its work, the Poland Vision Keepers, a group of teachers, administrators, students and parents who meet weekly about school issues, put the protocol through more rigorous screening. The plan was modified several times before the school committee saw the final version, said Levine, who represents the board on the Vision Keepers group.

No teacher or student will be required to say the pledge at the high school or Whittier Middle School. However, students will be invited over the school intercom system to gather near the flag in the lobby prior to their first class. Led by a student or community volunteer each day, students and staff will stand and remove their hats as they recite the pledge. Those choosing not to participate must do so without disruption.

The school task force will review the protocol in April in case adjustments are needed. Members will also prepare a report as part of the school’s annual State of the School Day.