Referendum seeks voter approval to build new middle school

By Ed Pierce

With Election Day nearing on Nov. 7, a referendum is asking voters in the towns of Windham and Raymond to approve a proposal to construct the proposed Windham/Raymond Middle School at 61 Windham Center Road in Windham.

A referendum seeking approval for RSU 14's proposed new
Windham/Raymond Middle School will be before voters
on Nov. 7. Clockwise are sketches of the school's outdoor
learning area, front entrance, a classroom and a
team-teaching area. SUBMITTED PHOTOS

The total cost of the new school is estimated to be $171,563,889 and the state of Maine would pick up $131,725 million, or 76.8 percent of that amount. That leaves 23.20 percent, or about $31,870,755 remaining with voters in Windham asked to OK gradually funding 80 percent of what’s left or $25,496 million. Raymond voters will be asked to approve gradually funding 20 percent of the remaining cost or about $6,374 million.

RSU 14 Superintendent Christopher Howell said that if the referendum passes, the school district is anticipating that the Windham/Raymond Middle School project will be financed through either two or three separate bonds during construction.

“The stair step approach to financing will provide a gradual increase to the mil rate in both communities,” Howell said. “With updated interest rates, we are anticipating a 28-cent increase in the first year in Windham and a 33-cent increase in Raymond. In the second year, it would roughly increase an additional 41 cents in Windham and 19 cents in Raymond. This is assuming that town valuations remain the same. If three bonds are issued, the steps towards the final mil impact would take place over three years and not two.”

Howell said the district is seeking voter support because both Windham Middle School and Jordan-Small Middle School are older schools and are both in need of significant upgrades in continue to be used as educational facilities into the future.

“The district has the opportunity to develop a new campus with a new energy efficient and secure building that will cost the local taxpayers far less than a renovation project in both buildings. The opportunity is being provided by the Major Capital Construction Program run by the Department of Education,” he said. “Seventy-four schools were rated by the Maine DOE in 2018 and were placed on a priority list that is based on need. Windham Middle School scored fifth on the list. The high rating for WMS was due to several factors that included structural issues in the roofing system of the classroom wing, outdated/inadequate electrical and HVAC systems, and that the building is undersized with one-third of the student population and several applied arts programs taking place in a separate building.”

According to Howell, besides addressing the shortcomings in the current facilities, the project will also help to address areas of programming that are currently lacking in both buildings.

“This will include a science lab for each science teacher, project spaces for students, classroom spaces for academic interventions and special education, increased safety and security for students and employees, classrooms that meet state requirements for minimum size, adequately equipped technology classroom and art rooms, music and performing arts spaces that match current programming, and additional play and competition space outdoors,” he said. “Outside of the direct impact to the middle level, the change in grade configuration will provide the opportunity for the district to provide universal Pre-k for any families that are interested in accessing this service. The facility will be an asset for both communities in the spaces that are provided. The project includes walking trails as well as access to the neighboring Pringle Preserve. The large gym and auxiliary gym spaces provided by that state will provide additional play spaces for youth and adult sports including an indoor walking track for community use outside of school hours. Lastly, the project includes an auditorium that will be accessed by students participating in the performing arts as well as our local community theater programs. Lastly, the two current buildings are slated to be returned to both towns for future community use. In discussions with the leadership in both communities, there has been interest in turning the two schools into community centers.”

The original Windham Middle School was built in 1977 and intended for a capacity of 483 students. That number has grown in the last year to 555 students this year, with sixth graders being housed for some classes at the adjacent Field Allen School, originally constructed in 1949. Jordan-Small Middle School in Raymond was built in 1960 and currently has an enrollment of 184 students.

More than 132 potential 35-plus acre sites were originally identified for review by the RSU 14 WMS Building Committee and then ranked according to transportation accessibility, utility availability, environmental impact, and a range of other factors. The RSU 14 Board of Directors entered into an option-to-purchase agreement with the owner of 61 Windham Center Road in Windham and the owner agreed to take the property off the market for a period of up to two years in 2021.

As part of the proposal to build the new Windham/Raymond Middle School, Windham and Raymond students in Grades 5 to 8 would attend classes there. Windham fifth graders currently attending Manchester School would instead attend the new school, as would Jordan-Small Middle School students from Raymond. The new school is being designed for a capacity of 1,200 students.

Lavallee Brensinger Company of Portland is serving as architects for the construction project and Howell said that the new school is being designed to accommodate teams of two to four staff members.

“The teaming structure will give students the feel of being in a smaller school within the larger school. Each team will have spaces that are dedicated to each of the core subject areas,” he said. “In addition, the building will be structured to allow for the integration of some of the applied arts within the team. The development of the team structure will serve to bring the best possible facilities to each team. In contrast, the original Windham Junior High School, now Windham Middle School was built as a departmentalized Junior High School.”

Howell said that under provisions of the State of Maine Construction Program, school districts must pass a referendum within six months of having the concept for the school approved by the Maine State School Board.

“If a district fails to have a positive referendum within the time frame, the project can be removed from the state funding list,” he said. “The concept for this building project was approved on Sept. 13. In the event of a no vote on this referendum, the building committee and school committee would need to reconvene and look at a revamped project that could be sent out to voters. The additional constraint that we are also working under is the land purchase. Our option to purchase 61 Windham Center Road will expire on Dec. 31 of this year. If a project cannot be passed, any future projects would have to be locally funded.” <

State approves new WMS construction

Large parcels of land for sale, like this location off Hall Road
in Windham may be considered by RSU 14 as potential sites 
for the State Board of Education to purchase for construction
of the new Windham Middle School. RSU 14 hopes to have a
site identified by October 2022 with the new school building
finished by the fall of 2026. PHOTO BY ED PIERCE 

SEARCH FOR NEW 40-ACRE SITE BEGINS

By Ed Pierce

After a careful review of an architectural study of Windham Middle School, the State Board of Education has chosen to move ahead with construction of a new middle school and a search has been launched to identify potential sites for the new educational facility.

RSU 14 is now actively looking for 40-acre parcels of land that are available for purchase and them would recommend to the State Board of Education which one it would prefer to locate the new school. Because it is a state-funded project, the school district will work with the state to negotiate the project fees and a total cost associated with the construction.

The new school is expected to be ready by the start of the 2026-2027 school year, said Christopher Howell, RSU 14 superintendent of schools.

“The district is looking to narrow down potential sites by the end of this year,” Howell said. “The target would give the district ample opportunity to conduct environmental studies on a location. The final straw poll vote on a potential site is tentatively scheduled for October 2022.”

The original Windham Middle School was completed in 1977 and was built for a capacity of 483 students.  In the past year, that number has grown to 636 students, with sixth graders being housed for some classes at the adjacent Field Allen School, originally constructed in 1949. 

In June, the RSU 14 Board of Directors voted 8-0 to approve hiring the Lavallee Brensinger Company of Portland to serve as architects for the project.  

“Lavallee Brensinger, our architect, is completing a review of existing engineering studies that have been completed for the old middle school building,” Howell said. “There appears to be enough documentation at this time to support a new building for the district.”

In choosing a site for the new school, Howell said the school district, in consultation with the civil engineers on the project, will complete a matrix on all potential sites. 

“The matrix will include elements such as traffic, availability of utilities (three-phase power, public water, sewer), environmental impact, proximity to population density, and purchase price of the property,” he said. “Once a site is determined, a public meeting will be held for a straw poll vote. The RSU 14 board will use the recommendation to make a final vote that will be recommended to the State Board of Education. The state will reimburse the district for the property.  The reimbursement will be based on the average of two appraisals on the property.”  

According to Howell, both the architect and the RSU 14’s civil engineer will help the district with the decision matrix, which will be presented to the public for a straw poll. The results of that poll will be reviewed by the RSU 14 board for a final recommendation to the Department of Education.

“In addition to the decision matrix, the district will take into consideration the long and short-term costs of siting a building on a location,” Howell said. “This would include costs associated with student transportation, utilities, as well as possible road and infrastructure upgrades that would be required for the project.”

Other determining factors would weigh the impact to the environment, availability of space for athletic fields/parking and in a location near an existing road that can handle the traffic of a large school.

Howell said the most interesting aspect of working on this project so has been the opportunity to work with the state on a building project. 

“The process has allowed us the opportunity to look at programming across the district to ensure that we are covering all aspects of this project,” he said. “The opportunity to visit other recently completed buildings across the state has reinforced how fortunate we are to have this opportunity.”

After several years of being ranked at Number 5 overall among state-approved and subsidized construction projects, RSU 14 learned in March that the project was moving forward.

RSU 14 first applied for the Maine Department of Education’s Major Capital Construction Program in 2016 for funding for construction and was ranked as the fifth-highest priority among 74 proposed school construction projects statewide each year before gaining approval.

“The program is highly competitive as a positive rating in the process can lead to a significant financial savings for school districts,” Howell said. “A majority of construction costs for school projects selected through this program will be covered by the state.”

Once the school district starts to narrow in on potential sites, it will begin work with the architect on the conceptual design of the building.

“This process will include revisiting some visioning work that has been already completed with middle level staff,” Howell said.

The site selection process will be discussed at the Oct. 6 meeting of the RSU 14 Board of Directors and Howell said in the meantime, the public can forward any potential site locations to him at  chowell@rsu14.org. <

Work on Windham Middle School construction advancing

Portland's Lavallee Brensinger Company has been selected
as the architect of the new Windham Middle School
construction project and joined RSU 14 representatives at
a meeting in Augusta this week to discuss what needs to be
done to get the project started. The new school is expected
to be completed by the fall of 2026. PHOTO BY ED PIERCE
 

PROJECT EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED BY 2026

By Ed Pierce

The plan to renovate and build a new Windham Middle School remains at the forefront of RSU 14’s agenda this summer and an architectural firm has been chosen to lead the project.

In June, the RSU 14 Board of Directors voted 8-0 approving the Lavallee Brensinger Company of Portland to serve as architects for the project and this week, RSU 14 Superintendent Christopher Howell, Bill Hansen, RSU 14’s Director of Facilities, Property Services and Special Projects, joined representatives of Lavallee Brensinger at a meeting in Augusta with the head of school construction projects for the state of Maine.

Howell said that the pre-design meeting in Augusta clarified how much in depth of a study that RSU 14 will need to complete for an analysis of potential renovation of the current WMS building and discussed the possibility of constructing the building on the current WMS campus across from Windham High School.

“Since this is a state funded project, we will be working with the state to negotiate the project fees associated with the first two steps,” Howell said. “The fees for the final construction project are based on a percentage of the total cost of the project.”

He said Lavallee Brensinger architects will be working with the Windham Middle School Building Committee while RSU 14 works through the construction process.  

“Bill Hansen and I will be acting as liaisons between the committee and the firm,” Howell said. “The first step of the project will include a new versus renovation analysis of the current Windham School Building that will be completed by the firm. If the data points to new construction, which we are anticipating, we will work with the firm to complete a site analysis for a new building.”

According to Howell, the RSU 14 Board of Directors chose Lavallee Brensinger as the project architect based upon their extensive experience with high quality school construction projects and their proven ability to complete projects efficiently and economically.

“The firm has demonstrated an ability to work with clients to help them fulfill their visions for a school plant and has a reputation for completing high quality school buildings,” Howell said. “Most recently, the group completed Sanford High School and Morse High School. They are currently building a middle school that is similar to our project for the Oyster River School District in New Hampshire. They have a reputation for shepherding projects that are completed on time and on budget.”

Howell said the project remains on track to be completed for students by the fall of 2026.

After several years of being ranked at Number 5 overall among state-approved and subsidized construction projects, RSU 14 learned in March that the highly anticipated project was greenlighted by the state to move forward although how much actual funding for the project is yet unknown. The determining factor for funding depends upon whether the aging 44-year-old school will be rebuilt or renovated.      

Howell said that the original Windham Middle School was completed in 1977 and was built for a capacity of 483 students.  In the past year, that number has now grown to 636 students, with sixth graders housed for some classes at the adjacent Field Allen School, originally constructed in the 1930s.

“Over the years, the Field Allen School has had several minor renovations and has been incorporated into the programming of the school.  Most recently, two new classrooms were added to the building to accommodate a large sixth-grade class,” Howell said. “The building has served the district well over the years but is starting to show signs that it is reaching the end of its usable life cycle as a school building.  Aside from the inability to have all students in the building under one roof, the main middle school building has small classrooms, outdated science rooms, restroom facilities that do not meet modern requirements, a worn-out heating system, outdated windows, and a less than adequate electrical system.”   

During the 2020-2021 school year, more than 200 students had to transition back and forth from Field Allen School to Windham Middle School for classes in art, music, science, STEM, gym and other activities including the school cafeteria.

Howell said that RSU 14 originally applied for the Maine Department of Education’s Major Capital Construction Program in 2016 for funding for construction and was ranked as the fifth-highest priority among 74 proposed school construction projects statewide each year before being greenlighted for funding in March 2021.

“The program is highly competitive as a positive rating in the process can lead to a significant financial savings for school districts,” Howell said. “A majority of construction costs for school projects selected through this program will be covered by the state.”

Once a district applies for funding, Maine DOE reviews and rates the project based upon need. The State Board of Education then funds as many projects from the list as available debt limit funds allow. Working with the State Board of Education, Maine DOE establishes both size and financial limits on projects.

Local school districts may exceed these limits at local expense through municipal bonds, but the state bears the major financial burden of capital costs for approved school construction projects. As such, Maine DOE first looks at the possibility of renovations or renovations with additions and new school construction projects are only considered in instances in which renovation projects are not economically or educationally feasible.

According to Howell, there are 21 steps in the school construction process for state funded projects.

“The first three steps are steps related to the application for a building.  The project started step 4 last week when an advertisement was completed for architectural services for the project,” he said. “Once an architectural firm is selected, the district will work with that firm to complete an analysis of new versus renovation and to conduct an analysis of possible sites in the district to construct a new building.”

He said specific work by RSU 14 toward developing a vision for the new school building started in 2019. 

“The district engaged the services of an experienced school planner named Frank Locker who has worked with teams across the world to design and build new school buildings,” Howell said.  “Frank has been working with a group of stakeholders through a process of examining middle level programming, student grouping, functionality and equipment, environment in the new learning space, future learning, and how the building can be used for all members of the RSU 14 community.  A final report from the work of this group will be presented this spring.  The document will be used by the architects to develop concept designs for the new building.”

This spring WMS Principal Drew Patin said he was thrilled that the project is now moving ahead.

“Not only will we be able to create a safe and welcoming school, but we will have the opportunity to design a building that meets the educational needs of our students in this current age and for generations of students to come,” Patin said. “We will create spaces that promote lifelong skills, such as collaboration, problem-solving, creativity, and perseverance.” < 

New Windham Middle School proposal gains momentum - By Stephen Signor

In May of this year the Facilities Committee of the RSU14 School Board made the following recommendation: To build a new Windham Middle School, keeping the original core, which contains the gym-upper and lower, cafeteria, food service area, the administrative offices, STEM, art rooms and music rooms/office of the school. The inclusion of a design feature for expansion to accommodate future enrollment needs and the expansion into Fields 4 and 5 will accommodate the construction site. At that time no cost numbers were discussed, but became availableon June 15th at a RSU14 Facilities Committee meeting. To this end, further recommendations were brought forth, revisiting discussions that were placed on hold from July 2014. 

While no decisions have been put into stone, progress has been made in gathering details. On top of the list was the cost sharing of the project. This entails Windham absorbing the $42,496,975 price tag for a new school through a municipal bond. In a preliminary and tentative tax implications scenario, owners of a $250,000 house would incur a $426 a year increase in taxes with this amount decreasing slightly over a period of 20 years. Raymond on the other hand would not incur any construction cost and only be liable for operational costs of the new school. 

To even the playing field, the agenda of this meeting included discussion of the alternative option. This would involve major renovations of the Windham Middle School core. As a renovation, under statutes, the cost of this would be borne by both Raymond and Windham. However the cost for renovations would total $37,739,057. After an intense review between September 2015 and June 2016 it was felt that the difference of $4,757,918, although substantial, represents the difference between renovating a poorly constructed and inadequate school versus building a new one. 

During the session many valid points were made and agreed upon, leaning members toward the new building. For instance, it was presented that “the cycle of a new building is 40 plus years as compared to 20 to 25 of a renovated building.” It was also concluded that “a new building would address 21st Century educational programs that benefit students and community in the long run, while avoiding the inherent risk/cost of renovations”, as one member put it. As another put it, “The Windham Middle School is teaching 21st Century classes in a seventies building environment. Science teachers have no lab, running water or the proper equipment, if any, to conduct experiments.” 

To further examine the issue of new versus renovation was the contents of a letter from Lyndon Keck, PDT Architects review of the WMS condition that was conducted in May of this year. As no stranger with new school construction and renovation Keck’s letter revealed a laundry list of faults with the school. In summary it was reiterated the school was built in 1977 making it 40 years old and at the end of its cycle. Reference was also made that interior walls were made from lumber, not steel with no air space between inner and outer exterior walls to allow for proper insulation. The windows are residential grade as are the roof shingles.

 

The end result was that after further review, in a board meeting on June 22, the following week, the RSU14 Board of Directors approved the Facilities Committee recommendation to go forward with the proposal. On September 7th there will be a board update with a communication plan to be finalized.

WMS Principal Drew Patin found the decision encouraging. Patin is no stranger to the logistics that now face Windham Middle School. He was involved with a similar situation as assistant principal of Sanford School Department. 

“While at Sanford the concerns, logistics and goals were the same. The only difference was that project was state funded,” Patin explained. 

When asked what his primary goal was Patin replied, “Our goal right now is to inform students and the community as a whole about the importance of how a building can influence the level of education. For instance the science labs in the present school are not equipped with running water making experiments difficult to perform. Students have to excuse themselves to retrieve water from the bathrooms or water fountains.” There are also safety concerns. As Patin put it, “there is no sprinkler system because the code was grandfathered.  

Additionally, there is a matter of the distance students have to go between the main building and Field Allen. The walk may seem short but in the winter months or other seasonal storms the trek can be hazardous. With a new school that concern would be eliminated. On top of that, “currently the school is not ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliant.”

“It is imperative that the proposal being presented reaches the ears of everyone. In order to help facilitate this, a survey is being planned and other means of communication such as a media campaign, face to face conversations, presenting material at polling places, community events and forums, and digital methods such as Twitter, Facebook and mass email. It is challenging to reach out because everyone has their own take on this proposal,” said Patin. “At least we are at a point now which can be considered full steam ahead. It is no longer a case of being one step forward and two steps back.”

On September 21st there will be a meeting held in the Superintendent’s Conference room from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. The public is welcome. Patin expressed hope that there will be interested generated by attendants. Until then, more information and updates will become available, as it becomes available.