AUBURN – Big changes that would impact virtually every Auburn student by 2012 have been recommended by a subcommittee that studied the city’s schools.

The Auburn Master Plan Subcommittee is recommending a five-year plan to renovate and expand four schools, especially Edward Little High School, and consolidate elementary schools from six to four.

Six school department buildings would eventually be closed and sold.

The overall goal is to provide quality programs and equity for all students, said David Das, Auburn School Committee chairman, who also chaired the subcommittee.

What’s not known is how many millions it would it cost, and how it would be paid for.

The costs and funding decisions would be decided by elected officials and Auburn residents. None of the recommended action could happen without approval from taxpayers, Das said.

“Our motto is more dollars for kids, less dollars for facilities,” Das said. As proposed, by 2012/13 the number of Auburn School Department school buildings would be reduced from 16 to 10, he said.

Topping the list is to give new life to the 48-year-old Edward Little High School.

The high school would get a major renovation, basically stripped down to the steel frame and rebuilt. A new-and-improved school would include an addition with a new cafeteria, science labs, music and chorus area, new library, a fitness center and an auditorium with a stage.

The school department could partner with community organizations, such as the YMCA or the Lewiston-Auburn Community Theatre, to share the fitness center and auditorium.

Principal James Miller said the high school was “a Cadillac in 1961 when it opened. It served its purpose well.” Now the building “is an antique.”

Subcommittee member Tonya Gagne, an EL senior, said inside the school “it’s not the best environment.” The school “is very dirty. It’s not well kept.” Some classrooms are scorching, others are freezing, she said. There are new bathrooms that students are excited about, she said. The older bathrooms “are the worst,” and so bad that some students “hold it till they get home,” Gagne said.

Seniors Ben Demers and Greg Merritt, also subcommittee members, said EL lacks athletic fields and the cafeteria is inferior. The cafeteria was initially built as a storage area, and does not have windows and a full kitchen. The lack of kitchen means students are unable to get free-and-reduced lunches subsidized by the federal government.

As recommended, Auburn would lose what some consider neighborhood schools. Elementary schools would be consolidated from six to four, and would become grades pre-K or K-5 schools instead of pre-K or K-6.

Students would be redistricted to attend one of four schools: Washburn, Sherwood Heights, Fairview and Park Avenue. Washburn and Park Avenue would be expanded to hold more students.

Two schools, East Auburn and Walton, would close. East Auburn would hold the land lab and special education; Walton the alternative schools and adult education. Four buildings would be decommissioned, turned over to the city and sold.

Parent and subcommittee member Verne Paradie said he was initially opposed to moving students out of East Auburn and Walton, getting rid of what many consider neighborhood schools.

But after learning the financial benefits to taxpayers and program benefits to student, he’s convinced consolidation makes sense. Programs in Auburn’s elementary schools are not equal, he said. Not all schools have a cafeteria, a stage or gymnasium. With consolidation programs would be more equal, Paradie said.

Park Avenue Elementary School Principal Vickie Gaylord agreed that Auburn has always had a preference for small, neighborhood schools. But state funding for education gives preference to schools with 350 to 550 students. And most students don’t walk to school. For instance at the East Auburn school, 13 percent of students walk, 87 percent are bused, Gaylord said.

Another recommendation is to renovate and expand the Auburn Middle School to hold sixth-graders instead of just seventh and eighth.

Principal Kathi Cutler said students would benefit by having a three-year experience instead of a two-year experience at the school. Two years is too short, she said, comparing it to a “landing strip.” Students now spend too much time transitioning in from elementary school, and transitioning out to high school, Cutler said.

If sixth-graders attended the middle school they could take advantage of more programs, sports and club activities, Cutler said. Of the 121 middle schools in Maine, the majority have grades six through eight, and only 14 percent have seventh and eighth grades.

Renovations would also eliminate the use of classrooms without windows, Cutler said.

While costs are not known, a report given last fall by architect Stephen Blatt projected renovating the high school would cost between $24 million to $26 million, expanding the middle school about $5.5 million; and renovating elementary schools $3 million to $3.5 million, or a total of about $32 million to $35 million.

The school department would try to gain state dollars to help, but state money may not be available, which could mean the project would largely depend on local taxpayers. The Department of Education has warned money for school construction may not be available for years, and even then Auburn would have to compete for funding with other school districts.

Money would be saved by heating and maintaining fewer buildings, and reducing personnel. Going from six to four elementary schools would require fewer principals, secretaries, guidance counselors, teachers, librarians and ed techs, subcommittee member Marnie Coleman told school committee members.

The master plan subcommittee began examining schools in January, and on Wednesday it presented its findings to the School Committee. Subcommittee members included school board members, educators, students and lay people.

The Auburn School Committee may take up the subcommittee’s recommendations at its April 2 meeting.

Recommendations for Auburn schools

• Gut and rebuild Edward Little with addition for auditorium, cafeteria, science labs, music room, library, fitness center;

• Add new wing to Auburn Middle School for sixth-graders;

• Close two elementary schools (East Auburn and Walton);

• Remaining elementary schools (Sherwood Heights, Park Avenue, Washburn and Fairview) would house grades K-5;

• East Auburn school building would house land lab, special education program; Walton building would house Franklin alternative high school and Merrill Hill alternative middle school, and adult education;

• 6 school buildings, Mt. Auburn, Webster, C.P. Wight, Lake Street, Chamberlain and Merrill Hill, would be turned over to the city to be sold.

To read the full report, go to:

http://www.auburnschl.edu/SchoolCommittee/masterplansubcommittee.html and click on 3/19/08 recommendations.