| MSAD 15 |
GRAY-NEW GLOUCESTER — During their last board meeting, on August 7, the 11-member MSAD 15 School Board voted 8-1 (two members absent) to put forward a significant capital-improvement borrowing package that would create the district’s first dedicated performing arts theater, a new indoor gymnasium, a large expansion of playing fields, renovation to cafeteria and kitchen space at the high school, new HVAC systems in four of the district’s five schools, and a sprinkler system in the high school.
If district voters pass all three questions on the ballot, they will approve roughly $63 million in borrowing, triggering $3 million in forgivable loans from the state.
You can find a website explaining the project and its details here.
“This would be the largest capital project for the district since its founding in 1961,” said Superintendent Craig King. “After a laborious process, dating back to before the pandemic, we think this is the solution that solves the large portion of our pressing needs, particularly at the middle school/high school campus, but also at the Dunn and Russell schools.”
After meeting throughout 2019, the MSAD 15 bond committee was very close to submitting a proposal to voters, likely in June or November 2020. However, the administrative and societal upheaval of the pandemic put plans on hold. Once the district was back in school full-time, work resumed on the capital project, starting with creating a five-year strategic plan in 2022.
That planning work — involving more than 40 listening sessions with stakeholders throughout the district — revealed pressing space needs for performing arts students, sports teams with insufficient practice space, and a lunch experience at the high school that kids identified as the worst part of their days. Combined with HVAC systems more than 50 years old at the high school and not much younger at the middle school and other district buildings, these issues were placed in front of a reconstituted bond committee, which issued a report on needs throughout the district that required addressing.
The district then hired engineers to address the needs with capital improvements, presenting plans for public consideration. They have been fine-tuned into the borrowing package, which voters will consider in November.
“The capital improvement package represents a significant financial investment in our schools,” said King, “but it is an investment that will serve our students, families, and community for decades and decades to come. And this investment in our schools will allow the community much more opportunity to enjoy our students’ amazing performances throughout the year, whether clashes on the athletic fields or performances on the stage.”
This past year, GNG High School won the Class A boys basketball championship for the first time in 50 years (GNG fans were “deafeningly loud“). Still, accommodating the fans who wanted to watch the team was often difficult. The GNG high school and middle school theater programs regularly sell out their performances. Still, both groups perform in spaces that double as cafeterias, without permanent seats or proper sound and lighting. Worse, neither space meets minimum requirements for hosting regional competitions or performances for either arts or athletics.
“Gray and New Gloucester are filled with talented and motivated students,” said MSAD 15 School Board Chair Penny Collins, noting GNG High School was ranked sixth in Maine last year. “I’m excited to think about a future where they have facilities commensurate with that talent to highlight their performances and provide appropriate spaces to stretch their learning. Buildings with adequate facilities and clear air to breathe will serve our entire district.”
