PARIS — Maine School Administrative District 17’s middle school construction plans continue to progress, entering the phase for site analysis and conceptual design.

The building committee tasked with taking the project through the Maine Department of Education’s 21-step planning process recently added eight new representatives. As of last Wednesday, the group is now simultaneously focused on steps six (architect pre-design/site review), seven and eight (architect concept design/educational specs).

Architectural firm Harriman of Auburn is prioritizing design concepts based on survey data of educators, administrators and other stakeholders.

Step six requires review by the Maine Departments of Transportation, Environmental Protection, Human Services; the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; and other state and local agencies.

“The project is on track,” SAD 17 Superintendent Heather Manchester told the Advertiser Democrat. “The state mandates that the committee has a proposal ready for a districtwide referendum by November 2025. Our timeline projects that we will be able to present it to voters by next June.”

Among the major decisions that need to be made is where to build a new school, which needs to be on a site of at least 30 acres. In order to tie into public water and sewer facilities, the location will have to be in Paris, Norway or Oxford. Transportation access is also an important consideration.

A month ago, the middle school committee had identified nine potential sites. Some were not actively for sale, requiring discussion to be done during executive session.

Since then, the choices have been narrowed to four or five, according to Manchester. She could not comment on the locations or status of the properties but was able to confirm that the current Oxford Hills Middle School (south campus) on Pine Street is one of those under consideration.

“Harriman is conducting a test fit of the properties the building committee is considering,” Manchester said, looking at the layout of the land and scaling how new buildings, parking and drop-off areas and athletic fields look and fit within the buildable boundaries. “They are also working on what’s called the Space Allocation Workbook, which requires Maine DOE to sign off before we can move forward.

Current members of the building committee include: Leah Libby- Menezes, John Poto, Mike Parrot. Larry Griffin, Mike Dunn, Courtney McLellan, Timothy Stauder, Paul Perham, Sara Johnson, Mary Delano, Steven Davis, Michelle Legare, Joe Cummings, Torrey Poland, Sam Armstrong, Jason Lampert, Carrie Colley and Heather Manchester.

Manchester said the committee still has openings for representatives from the towns of Harrison, Oxford and Waterford to join. Interested parties should contact SAD 17 Central Office at 207-743-8972 for more information.