LIVERMORE FALLS — The RSU 73 board has awarded a nearly $1.7 million contract to Hardypond Construction of Portland to renovate Spruce Mountain high and middle schools in Jay.

The two schools and Jay Community Center will be renovated to provide additional classrooms, bathrooms, offices, and other facilities so all 500 students at Spruce Mountain High Schools in Jay and Livermore Falls will be in one location when classes resume in late summer.

Superintendent Robert Wall said Wednesday that the project is expected to begin in mid-June and be completed by late August.

The academic section of the Livermore Falls high school will be closed in mid-June and other sections of the building used for other purposes by the district.

In other news from the May 23 meeting, directors announced RSU 73 has received a Department of Homeland Security grant to improve safety in the district’s four schools.

Wall said the $11,500 will provide remote entry cameras at Jay and Livermore elementary schools, and a panic button at Spruce Mountain High School. He said the equipment will be installed this summer.

In other matters, the board agreed to stay with Apple products when laptops are replaced this year for the district’s nearly 250 seventh- and eighth-graders. The district will purchase Mac Book Air computers at a service cost of $18 each. Some of the more than 1,050 older laptops will be provided to all sixth-graders. The majority will be used by other elementary students in their classrooms.

The district must pay $47 per unit for the older models.

The board also signed the warrant for school tax assessment for the three member towns. Livermore’s assessment increased to $1.8 million from the current year’s $1.7 million; Livermore Falls’ assessment went up to $1.5 million from $1.4 million; and Jay’s assessment decreased to $8.5 million from just under $8.9 million.

Voters last month passed an $18.6 million budget for 2013-14.

Also at last week’s meeting, the board:

* Accepted the resignations, for the purpose of retirement, from 38-year elementary school teacher, Diane McDonald; 37-year art teacher, Melissa Allen; 27-year science teacher, Edward J. Harris Jr.; and six-year central office employee, Kathy Murray. All will be replaced except for the art position.

* Officially eliminated the positions of educational technician III, which will change to educational technician II, one gifted and talented teacher, one special education teacher, and two previously grant-funded reading teachers. Wall said the proposed and approved budget included these cuts.