WELLS — Community members got a first look at the options for Wells High School during the school committee meeting Wednesday night.
Dan Ellingson of Portland-based Harriman Associates gave a presentation on the scenarios and cost estimates outlined in an architect study completed by his firm.
First, a bare-bones approach to simply keep the school running for the next 10 years would cost about $5 million and would include replacing some mechanical and electrical systems, and correcting code issues.
The second option would be to renovate and expand the current building by more than 30 percent at a cost of about $22.5 million. The study identified some areas to expand, with plans including an increase in the size of the auditorium, classroom space and more.
The third option would be to build a new school on the current property, which is feasible, Ellingson said, and would have a price tag at around $29.5 million.
The fourth option would be to build a new high school at another site, which would increase the cost to about $32.2 million.
The town is not likely to get state funding for the project, but Ellingson said some grant funds may be available for energy efficiency and other “green” elements.
Ellingson said building new would be ideal, although he said he was not making a recommendation. He said building new would allow the district to implement those “green” options like solar water heating, photovoltaics and geothermal heating, as well as increasing natural light in the building.
Some of the main issues with the building are the small classrooms, which average about 600 square feet. The state recommends 800 square feet for classrooms and 1,200 square feet for science rooms. Because the school was built in the 1970s, it is not compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, Ellingson said, and it also lacks a school-wide sprinkler system, which Wells’ code officers would like to see installed.
He said the renovation option would be the most “volatile” in terms of uncertainty of cost due to the unknowns that could be discovered once work commenced.
The New England Association of Schools and Colleges has notified Wells High School that a plan for improvements or a new school needs to be in the works for it to continue to be accredited. Superintendent of Schools Elaine Tomaszewski said Wednesday, following the meeting, that the association has now pointed out in its second round of reviews that the high school is not up to par, and the district needs to send reports on its progress.
Losing the accreditation of a high school can be of concern for students seeking to go to college. The NEASC provides accreditation services for more than 2,000 public and private institutions in the six-state region including Maine, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont, according to its website.
The next step, said Tomaszewski, is for the school committee to consider its options and seek feedback from the public. The committee will hold a joint meeting with the select boards of Wells and Ogunquit to discuss the plans next Wednesday, March 14, and public meetings may be scheduled later for feedback.
The timeline would be to go to referendum next June, in 2013, with the option the school committee votes to pursue, and if that option is approved by voters, about a year would be needed for design and bidding for the project. The construction process would take about two years for a new building and slightly longer for a renovation, according to Ellingson.
The architect study will be posted on the district website at www.k12wocsd.net, and Tomaszewski said she welcomes comments and questions from the public by phone or email.
— City Editor Robyn Burnham can be contacted at 282-1535, Ext. 329 or rburnham@journaltribune.com.
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