After Oxford Hills voters rejected using local tax dollars to construct a Maine Principals’ Association–regulation size gymnasium and outdoor stadium seating area at the future Oxford Hills Middle School in Paris, a group of volunteers stepped up to try make it happen.

Upgrading the gymnasium and building the stadium seating are extras that will not be covered by the state, which is paying for the $88.1 million school.

Superintendent Heather Manchester said she was approached by Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School teacher Jeni Jordan and Oxford Hills Athletic Boosters President Joe Trybus about the possibility of raising the $2.6 million for the gym upgrade and outdoor seating.

“We have a very tight timeline to do it,” Manchester said. “But they are willing to do it. It will have to go out for a referendum again. Even with free funds, voters will have to approve it.”

Gay De Hart, of Oxford, pointed out during the Nov. 17 Maine School Administrative District 17 board of directors meeting that when Oxford Hills High School in Paris was built in Paris, the auditorium was not part of state aid but was built using community donations.

“As president of the Oxford Hills Athletic Boosters I reached out to Heather Manchester to see what we could do,” Trybus told the Advertiser Democrat on Nov. 21. “Jeni did the same so we met last month to start what we believe will be a successful campaign to include both the regulation-sized gym and the learning stairs.”

Jordan and Trybus held an informational meeting Dec. 11 to gauge community interest and begin organizing plans. 

The next day the two created a Facebook group page — OHMS – Expansion Projects. Within three days it had grown to close to 100 members and doubled within the next 24 hours.

“We’re using the Facebook page to keep the community updated,” Jordan said. “We meet at the high school Forum. Joe and I are just leading the initiative — we know there are so many more people in this process that will make it successful.

“Our community is amazing and we have seen them step up in so many ways when it comes to our students.”

The next planning meeting is set for Dec. 29 at the Forum. Jordan said the team has developed an informational flyer that will be ready to distribute by then, and a “fundraising blitz” will be rolled out.

She emphasizes that people do not have to wait for the campaign to officially start to make their donation. Donors should make checks out to “Oxford Hills Athletic Boosters” and can mail them to her attention at: Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School, 256 Main St., South Paris, ME 04281.

“I think the most important thing is for people to know that the state gives guidelines for gym size based on a formula,” Jordan said. “The space from that formula will give us a middle school gym that is about the same as the one at Rowe School in Norway.

“We will have sixth, seventh and eighth graders with a gym size that wouldn’t be large enough for a full school assembly. It would limit attendance of things like music concerts and eighth grade graduation ceremonies, for a few examples. We would love to add the additional space to prevent having things like that be an issue in the future.”

In order to alter construction plans for a larger gym the fundraising project must be determined to be feasible and put before voters by April. 

The stadium seating would be built in the school courtyard to accommodate outdoor education projects.