The South Portland Board of Education will likely hire a consultant to advise the school district on future plans for its two middle schools when it meets on Feb. 8.

After a five-year hiatus, a Middle School Facilities Committee reconvened last spring to review once again whether the school department should continue operating two middle schools or consolidate its grades 6-8 classes into one building.

Assistant Superintendent Kathy Germani said this week the facilities committee was completing interviews of four possible consultants. She said a recommendation could come forward in time for the school board’s next regular meeting.

The four firms interviewed were Harriman, PDT Architects, Lavallee/Brensinger Architects and WBRC Architects Engineers. Under the request for proposals, the consultants will be asked to provide the school department with an analysis of “the current and future educational and programming needs” for its middle school population.

That analysis would include a review of whether renovation of either one or both middle schools would comply with Maine Department of Education requirements and whether an existing site, likely at Memorial Middle School, or a new building site would be required.

In addition, as part of its work, the consultant would be expected to provide cost estimates and financing options for revamping South Portland’s middle school facilities. That financing could also include the sale of one or both middle schools – Mahoney in downtown and Memorial on the western side of the city.

Germani is a member of the committee interviewing the consulting firms. Others on the panel are Superintendent Ken Kunin; Rafe Forland, the school department’s business manager; Carrie Stilphen, the principal at Mahoney; teacher Sandy Barry; Andy Wallace, the school department’s technology director; and community member Jim Landau.

In updating the school board on the progress of the Middle School Facilities Committee this past fall, Kunin said, “We’ve learned a lot about (both) buildings, but now we really need to get into the deeper examination stage.”

The two middle schools are the oldest schools in the city and are the only ones not to have received major renovations or reconstruction in recent years.

Memorial Middle, at 120 Wescott Road, was built in 1967 and has about 400 students in approximately 94,000 square feet. Mahoney, at 240 Ocean St., was built in 1922 and houses approximately 300 students in 92,000 square feet.

The school department has often debated what to do with the two schools and much discussion has gone on among school and city officials and the community about whether to keep both schools or consolidate into one.

At one time, a plan was floated to consolidate all of South Portland’s middle schoolers at an expanded Memorial, while Mahoney would be turned into a new City Hall.

However, the Middle School Facilities Committee appointed last May is essentially starting with a clean slate, according to Germani, and is set to explore all the options.

Since 2000, each of the city’s five elementary schools have been either renovated or entirely rebuilt. In addition, in both 2009 and 2010, voters approved multi-million bonds for improvements at South Portland High School.

Also in 2010, the city applied for state funding to repair one or both middle schools and, while Mahoney needs more funding than Memorial, neither has received any construction dollars.

Health and safety upgrades have been made at both schools in recent years, but other issues, like Mahoney’s lack of handicapped accessibility, need to be addressed, Germani has said.

Sun Media Wire staff writer Alex Aquisto contributed to this report.

Memorial Middle School in South Portland is located on the western side of the city. The city’s school board is once again considering combining the city’s two middle schools.Mahoney Middle School in downtown South Portland was built in 1922.