The design team
of building committee members, architects and engineers has begun work in
earnest. The ultimate goal is creating a thorough and complete plan to
address the long-term middle school needs of the district. The next few
months will be devoted to the hard work of gathering information and
analyzing options. The architects have already held forums for interactive
discussion with the faculty, administrators and parents at the AD Gray
School. Similar forums are planned for the DR Gaul community.
There are three parallel "tracks" of planning work. The first track focuses on curriculum needs and determining how they translate into space needs. The second track considers the technical logistics of developing the additional space including identifying and analyzing potential building sites throughout the district. The third track involves working with the Department of Education to follow the procedures outlined for achieving successful reviews and approvals for considerable reimbursement of building costs. The State of Maine is fortunate to have thorough, well-conceived guidelines for school building design and construction.
Once all of the information is gathered and analyzed, the process of distilling data and narrowing down options will begin. The design team will work throughout the summer to bring a plan for consideration by the Voters likely late next fall. One element of design is already determined - the classrooms will provide a "healthy" learning environment. Watch for details of public forums to gather input and reaction to works in progress and to learn more about "Healthy Schools".