OXFORD — Oxford Hills School District directors have approved leasing a building on Madison Avenue in Oxford to ease overcrowding at Oxford Hills Middle School in Paris.

“Our goal is to maximize space while providing the best learning environment,” Superintendent Rick Colpitts said. The 22,000-square-foot building was used for classrooms while the Paris Elementary School was built about five years ago.

The approval at Monday night’s board meeting is pending state Department of Education approval for reimbursement of the majority of the cost.

The building is owned by developer Bob Bahre of Alton, N.H.

If the state OKs the five-year agreement, it would reimburse the district $176,000 of the $198,000 paid in years two through five, Colpitts said. There would be no charge for using the building the first year, he said.

Colpitts said SAD 17 will apply for the state’s leased space program that could reimburse the district for up to $8 per square foot, he said. The proposed lease would be at $9 per square foot.

The budget for 2013-14 includes money to equip the Madison Avenue building, including installing a fire and security system, telephones and a small serving kitchen, Colpitts said.

He said the idea is to rotate the approximate 500 students through three themed programs, with one theme per trimester. One themed program will be at the “south campus” in Oxford and two will be at the “north campus” in Paris.

Students will be divided into three teams of 170 students. They and some staff will rotate together, spending one trimester at the Oxford site and two at Paris.

Colpitts said the next step includes aligning the curriculum with the themes, creating scheduling, staffing assignments and professional development in time for classes to begin in August.

The recommendation to lease space was one of six in a feasibility study by Harriman Architects and Engineers in Auburn. Leasing the Oxford building would eliminate using more than a dozen portable classrooms in seven buildings at the middle school on Pine Street in Paris.

The units need work to make them safe, sound and secure, and officials the investment is not worth it due to their age and condition. Replacing them would have cost about $1 million.

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