GRAY – The SAD 15 board on Wednesday discussed plans to upgrade and renovate the five district schools using a $10 million bond.
The board plans to vote on approving the plan in mid-September. The project would renovate the buildings to meet code requirements and provide more program needs.
Last February, the board created a 17-member Facilities Upgrade and Renovations Committee that presented the recommendation.
So far, SAD 15 has applied to Maine’s Department of Education for Revolving Renovation funds to pay part of the costs.
Gray school board member Peter Pinkerton, the facilities committee chairman, said the proposal keeps intact local elementary community schools, which residents have endorsed.
He said the cost of the renovations, upgrades and additions for all five schools is less than the cost of building one new elementary school.
Last year, an inventory of building needs was performed by the Sewell Co. of Old Town.
Portland Design Team was contracted to provide architectural and technical consultation and assistance.
The funding needs are:
• Memorial School in New Gloucester at $1,541,540
• Russell Elementary School in Gray at $1,710,750
• Dunn School in New Gloucester at $842,149
• Gray-New Gloucester Middle School at $556,917
• Gray-New Gloucester High School at $1,650,513
Educational program needs at the high school are $3,967,038.
The plan calls for demolishing two wings built in 1948 each at Russell and Memorial schools. A smaller addition will be built at Memorial School.
At Russell School the 1948 wing will be removed and a 1968 wing will be renovated and reconfigured.
In other business, the board heard a report on the district’s 2005 MEA test results from Karen Caprio, director of teaching and learning.
Scores remained near constant compared to the prior year with small fluctuations.
Supplemental Educational Services through tutoring will be mandated by the federal No Child Left Behind Act for eligible students.
Students who receive free or reduced lunch will be eligible. A provider fair will be held at the middle school on Sept. 19. The district must allocate up to $745 per eligible student. The tutors will be paid through school improvement funds, tutoring funds and in lieu of purchasing a reading program for the middle school.
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