JAY — Already at the middle school, the Spruce Mountain Middle School Phoenix rules.

The gym has the new, forest green and black mascot and the name of the new school in the center of the floor. Students from Jay, Livermore and Livermore Falls voted on the school name change and mascot to represent a new beginning.

In the cafeteria the phoenix, along with past mascots of the Siberian tiger for Jay and the lion for Livermore Falls, adorn the walls.

Students in grades five, six and seven in both school districts last year overwhelmingly voted to have all three mascots to celebrate the new and remember the past, Principal Scott Albert said.

“We are trying to get rid of everything black and white, so the kids feel comfortable,” Albert said. “It’s a new school. We’re the phoenix.”

He is anticipating about 360 students on opening day, Wednesday, Aug. 31.

It will be like old times for him.

When he started 12 years ago at the former Jay Middle School, there were 365 students in grades five through eight.

The last school year, the school had 264 students in grades four through eight.

The consolidation allows students to be offered more classes and extracurricular activities.

The middle school will offer Spanish, a language that was not offered last year in either system. There will also be a health class taught by Brad Bishop. Students will have Spanish, one trimester; health, one trimester; and art, one trimester, Albert said. Students will have physical education all year round. The school will also be offering cross-country and varsity and junior varsity baseball and softball.

“We’re going to have an intramural program,” he said, so that all students have a chance to participate in a sport after school. There will be a volleyball team, a dodge ball team and a handball team.

Sixth-graders will be on the first floor of the school, along with math for seventh- and eighth-graders in the West wing, and health for all students.

Gifted and talented teacher Rob Taylor has a large room to work with students and his Lego program.

An alternative education program also will be offered.

Students and staff members will be given Spruce Mountain T-shirts to wear on opening day. Franklin Savings Bank donated the money for the shirts, Albert said.

[email protected]