LIVERMORE FALLS — RSU 73 Superintendent Robert Wall proposed to the school board Thursday night spending $571,942 to improve students’ achievement at Spruce Mountain high and middle schools.

The money will come from the second year of a three-year, $1.2 million school improvement grant Livermore Falls High School received in 2010 when it was part of Regional School Unit 36. The school received the grant after it was named one of 10 “persistently low achieving” schools in reading and math and applied to improve education for students.

Now that Jay, Livermore and Livermore Falls have combined school systems, the money can be used on both high schools in Jay and Livermore Falls, Wall said. The money is also going to be used for the eighth grade at the middle school in Jay.

Wall went over the proposed plan for the second year of the grant with the board. The plan has been submitted to the state for approval, he said.

In the meantime, Wall said, they would work with $242,862 rolled over from the first year. The rollover plus the second year allotment of $379,595 will give the district $622,457 to work with, if the plan is approved.

The proposed budget will leave about $50,000 as a buffer, which would include paying about $11,000 in state and employee taxes for the extra work staff will do, Wall said.

The grant carried the requirement for students’ achievement to significantly improve during the first year of the funding. According to data presented, students’ achievement did improve.

The proposed second year plan would include literacy team development to increase teacher and school leader effectiveness and provide professional development.

The proposal’s goals for the high school for 2011-12, as described in the proposal, are achievement and attainment by setting high standards for all students; consolidation as a high school speaking with one voice about what is taught, how it is taught and what students are expected to know.

The emphasis will be on staff leadership, using district personnel’s individual and collective expertise; working to make instructional offerings work for all students to be successful; interventions when the regular program is not right or not enough; supporting students’ success, requiring students to be responsible for their own learning; and creating partnerships with students, parents, teachers, support professionals and the community, locally and regionally.

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