RUMFORD — Mountain Valley High School may become the new home of the University College at Rumford/Mexico, RSU 10 officials said Tuesday.

The college is currently on Brown Street in Mexico.

At the start of Tuesday’s school board meeting to discuss the 10-year facilities plan, high school Principal Matt Gilbert took the board on a tour of the areas the school is not using and the college could use.

Superintendent Tom Ward said he is negotiating with the college’s administration to discuss the required renovations, including funding, lease length and cost per square foot.

Among the spaces that would be used by the college are the offices of the school nurse and counselors, and the area near the guidance conference room. The college would also occupy the two small rooms off the high school library.

A separate entrance on the left rear side of the school would be used by college students, since the rooms near that entrance would be blocked off from the rest of the school. The current occupants would be moved to other unused or underused areas.

The parking lot just outside the potential college entrance would be used by only college students.

Among the classrooms which would be acquired by the college is a room so interactive courses could be broadcast to the other two RSU 10 high schools in Dixfield and Buckfield. Other classrooms include the senior lounge and a lecture hall, which Gilbert said is more suited to college lectures than to high school classes.

The college has been using two high school laboratories for its science courses two nights a week for several years. Under a potential agreement, the college would continue to use those spaces, but only after high school classes are done for the day.

Gilbert said the college uses its own paper, chemicals and other materials for the college-level classes.

“With the college here, work study students could staff our library at night,” he said.

He saw many other benefits to housing the college at the school, including more access to college courses for high school students.

“Up to 80 percent of (high school) students who start college with credits graduate,” he said.

If the college should decide to move into the school, the district would also benefit from more revenue.

Ward said representatives from the college have toured the school.

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