JAY – A letter sent by two chairwomen of state education boards informed officials in four schools in the region that now is the time to consider sending some or all of their high school students to Mt. Blue High School/Foster Applied Technology Center in Farmington.

SAD 9, which serves nine towns in the Farmington area, is in the process of designing the renovation and addition to the high school complex, which will be funded mostly by state money. The project still has to go through several votes and if approved, is expected to be completed in January 2013, SAD 9 Superintendent Mike Cormier said Tuesday. That system is currently offering four languages and biotechnology courses.

School representatives of Jay and SAD 36, which serves Livermore Falls and Livermore, have formed a task force with SAD 9 representatives to find ways to save money.

Jay school Superintendent Robert Wall read the letter from Ann Weisleder, chairwoman of the state Board of Education, and Jean Gulliver, chairwoman of the state board’s Construction Committee during a meeting Thursday.

The women wrote that the new SAD 9 facility will provide a high level of educational opportunities for its students. Those opportunities include career and technical education courses and opportunities for post secondary education.

“We have always believed that this project represented an opportunity for all the high school students in the area,” they wrote. “Given changes in population, tax bases and the economy we are strongly committed to making this high school serve the needs of students throughout your region and thereby strengthen the regional economy.”

Gulliver said Monday that there is no application process set for any new schools to be built.

“There is no money going to be coming any time soon,” she said.

The letter was also sent to SAD 58 in Kingfield, SAD 36 and the Rangeley area school systems.

“We’re not talking about consolidation. It’s about construction. It’s about opportunities for your kids. We’re just talking about the school because it is both a vocation and high school. Kids might have more opportunities than they have now.”

The state wants to get the most out of the school for both the students and the taxpayers in that area, she said.

“It’s now that people need to talk about it before we get the shovels in the ground,” Gulliver said.

Jay School Committee Chairwoman Mary Redmond-Luce said last Thursday and again Tuesday that the letter is a clear directive to the communities that there won’t be money coming in for new buildings soon.

SAD 9 is building an advanced high school with multiple learning opportunities and this is the time if school systems, students and parents want to participate.

She talked with her board about considering in the future to agree to tuition 25 students to the SAD 9 system each year.

“We don’t want to lose Jay High School,” she said during the meeting, and it would still be great to partner with SAD 36.

Jay really needs to work with SAD 36 and create something not offered at SAD 9, she said.

“We want to keep programs viable in Jay but also recognize there are opportunities out there,” Wall said. “We’ll have to recreate who we are.”

Jay High School Principal Joe Moore offered a cautionary note before they agree to send “our kids away.” He said bigger is not always better.

“Smaller is working,” Moore said. “I’ve seen it. It’s working in Jay.”