BOWDOIN

School Administrative District 75 officials are urging others to spread the word about the Mt. Ararat High School project, now underway, and the upcoming forums taking place across the district.

After getting the go-ahead from the Maine Department of Education to move forward with a high school construction project, SAD 75 is moving through a 21-step process that concludes with construction of a school. Most of the steps involve planning, communication and decisions that need to be made by the local community, DOE and district voters.

With PDT Architects onboard to guide SAD 75 through the process, the district is currently analyzing whether it will renovate the existing high school or build a brand-new school, or some combination therein.

PDT has recommended that SAD 75 build a new high school to be located somewhere on the current campus.

During a forum on Thursday, Superintendent Brad Smith stressed that the decision to renovate or build new hasn’t been made yet. The building committee is still exploring options to find the best solution for the district.

John Hodge, chairman of the building committee, said the committee “is in the process of listening to community members, to the schools, to the students, to the facilities staff, to the architects, to the admin- istrators, to the taxpayer.”

“What is it that we want in our community?” Hodge said. “What is it we are willing to pay for? What’s important to us as we go forward to make our children’s learning environment the best that it can be?”

Communication will be important, Hodge said, and the committee wants to make sure correct information gets to the public regarding what will be an expensive project.

Lyndon Keck of PDT urged those in the audience to call their friends and let them know this process is taking place, and to get involved.

Much of the discussion Thursday focused around the problems with the current high school. Keck said it looks more like an enormous office building than a school. Designed with an open school concept, the school was wide open without walls between classrooms.

There were problems with acoustics and lack of fresh air and access to windows and sunlight from the very beginning, Keck said. Usually a classroom wing is about 75 wide. Mt. Ararat High School is 290 feet by 287 feet — almost the length of a football field in both directions.

A renovation hasn’t been ruled out, Keck said, but would likely be more expensive than building anew. The structural frame would need to be upgraded if the school is renovated.

“If we do renovate the building, we’re going to have to cut big holes in the building to be able to get sunlight and fresh air into most of the rooms that are presently landlocked in the middle of this building,” he said.

The gym has had structural issues and isn’t ideal, but would still have value for practices and events, so the architects looked at keeping it in some of the “test fit” options, Keck said.

A newcomer to Bowdoin in the audience asked how the current high school, designed with the open room concept, passed by the voters. Another Bowdoin resident, who attended the school, said it was the cheapest option to accommodate students in the then newly formed SAD 75. But others noted it was also a shortlived trend at that point in time.

A resident also asked if the completed high school building will be LEED certified through the U.S. Green Building Council — something she feels is important.

Keck said if an all new school is built, students may be able to stay in the current building but if they have to stay elsewhere temporarily, it could cost the district $1.3 million or $2.5 million — less if some of the students can be housed at the middle school.

Parents were concerned about potential disruption to students during construction. One member of the public said they don’t want today’s students to be sacrificed so future students can have a new school.

Building committee members emphasized they want to hear from everyone in the community — not just those with children in the school district. The next three meetings are in different district towns but all are open to anyone who resides in SAD 75.

The building committee’s meetings are open to the public and usually the first Wednesday of the month at 5:30 p.m. in the Mt. Ararat High School Learning Commons. Project updates are posted on the district website where people can also make comments, at www.link75.org or visit http://construction.link75.o rg.

The next in a series of presentations and forums is Tuesday at Harpswell Community School. Another is scheduled for Wednesday at Bowdoinham Community School.

The final meeting is Sept. 30 at Mt. Ararat High School.

Each meeting starts at 6 p.m.

dmoore@timesrecord.com