JAY — New life will be breathed into the former Livermore Falls Middle School, following action taken by the RSU 73 board Thursday night.

Superintendent Robert Wall said the board voted unanimously to lease the school, which was closed a few years ago, to Area Youth Sports for 10 years for $1 per year.

The agreement also calls for AYS to install a new heating system, maintain the gym and locker room areas and pay utilities.

“This should be a very positive step for that building and for the community,” Wall said. “We are doing our best to utilize our facilities.”

The AYS program serves children from Livermore, Livermore Falls and Jay, which make up RSU 73.

The AYS program was housed in a section of the Jay Community Building, which was renovated to allow all Spruce Mountain High School student to be at the Jay school campus this year.

Wall said the district still has the ability to sell the building, but is not actively marketing it.

In other matters, the board approved hiring Susan Metzger as a 20-hour-per-week bus driver, Jacqueline Draper as a Title I educational technician math interventionist and Bryana Chapman as a part-time adult education English credit recovery teacher.

They also accepted the resignation of elementary school teacher Chlorissa Plaisted, who has taken a similar position in RSU 10.

In other matters, the board:

* Approved a student exchange trip to Saint-Georges, Quebec for March 12-16 and April 30 through May 4.

* Approved a class trip to Montreal on May 15 and 16.

* Learned that the high school’s robotics team placed first in a competition at Messalonskee High School for the second year in a row.

* Accepted bids for the sale of two school buses from Warren Smith at a cost of $822 and $922.

The board will meet in special session at 6 p.m. Oct. 1 at the high school with the selectmen and town managers from Livermore Falls, Livermore and Jay to tour the nearly completed school complex. The tour will be followed by a roundtable discussion.

A second special meeting is set for 6 p.m. Oct. 15 at Jay Elementary School to continue a series of public forums the district is holding to get input on how to better serve its approximately 1,500 students.

Regular board meetings for October are set for 6 p.m. Oct. 10 and 24 at Spruce Mountain Middle School.

Copy the Story Link