SAD 29 moves ahead with wood chip boiler plans

By Joseph Cyr
Staff Writer
    HOULTON — Plans for a proposed wood chip boiler for SAD 29 took another step toward fruition last Tuesday when the district’s school board agreed to take out a low- to no-interest bond up to $930,000 for the project.
    Houlton High School was one of six schools and universities chosen to receive a total of $3.2 million in federal stimulus funds through the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009, which is managed by the Maine Forest Service under the Maine Department of Conservation.
    Houlton High School received a grant in the amount of $750,000 to install a wood chip boiler to heat the junior/senior high school, as well as the adjacent Southern Aroostook Vocational Education (SAVE) Technical Center. The total cost of the project was originally estimated at $1,374,650, but has now grown to about 1.7 million, according to Superintendent Steve Fitzpatrick.
    At last Tuesday’s meeting the school board agreed to enter into a 10-12 year bond in the amount of $930,000 to finance their share of the project. The wood chip boiler would replace the traditional oil-fired system used to heat the school.
    The grant money must be spent or committed to be spent within two years or it is returned.
    Other schools that were awarded grant money were Greenville, SAD 17 (Oxford Hills), RSU 16 (Poland), and SAD 58 (Phillips Middle School) and the University of Maine Cooperative Extension.
    The Maine Forest Service created the Wood-to-Energy Public Building Program for the purpose of distributing those funds. The short-term goal for the program is to create and retain jobs in Maine; to achieve energy savings through wood-to-energy installations; reduce Maine’s dependence on non-renewable energy sources; reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and support sustainable forestry. By making the switch, the district believes it could eliminate the need for about 65,000 gallons of heating oil.
New Math Curriculum
    The board heard a 30-minute presentation from Dawn Dougan, curriculum coordinator, on changes to the district’s math curriculum. Included in the presentation were plans for a new Kindergarten-grade six math specialist and math lab teacher; a proposal to upgrade the district’s K-6 math text books to a unified series.
    “The focus of revising the math curriculum was to have students that are capable enter as freshmen and successfully complete Algebra I,” Dougan said. “What we are looking at is to start very early with the conceptual understanding of arithmetic in grades K-2 and have them be fluent in that.”
RSU Discussion
    By a unanimous vote, the board agreed to continue its talks with neighboring SAD 70 on the possible consolidation of central offices. For the past few months, the two school districts have discussed the possibility of joining forces as a Regional School Unit.
    For SAD 70, consolidation is a necessity since the state mandated smaller schools had to consolidate. The district was fined $93,000 this year for not complying with the state’s reorganization plans. That penalty will increase next year.
    To form an RSU, a school system needs a minimum of 1,200 students. SAD 29 has more than 1,300 students without combining with another school district and therefore has been standing on its own as RSU 29. If the two join forces, schools in each of the two districts would remain independent. One central office of the Superintendent would be created and one new school board would be formed to govern the RSU.
    “We want to continue our discussions with SAD 70,” said SAD 29 board chairman Liz Anderson, speaking on behalf of the sub-committee formed to meet with SAD 70. “I think we are at the point now where we need to enlist the help [of consultant] Jake Clockedile on the funding formula and how that would work. I’m very hopeful. I feel this is a project that can come together fairly easily. What we need now, though, is the pulse of the school board for your feelings.”
    Board member Kim Thompson expressed her reservations on the RSU process.
    “I am still wondering why we would do this?” Thompson asked. “We are able to stand by ourselves [as an RSU]. I’m really apprehensive about this.”
    Fred Grant, one of the sub-committee members, spoke in favor of the process.
    “Academically, we know there can be huge benefits,” he said. “Things look promising, but the financial piece is a big component for both communities.”
Other business
    In other agenda items, the board:
    • Ratified Bus Driver/ Custodial Unit contracts and Cafeteria Unit contracts for July 1, 2010 to June 30, 2012.
    • The board approved 3 percent contract raises for the following Department supervisors and administrators: Gretel Crockett, Home School Coordinator; Theodore Peterson, Transportation Director; Kevin Kimball, Chief Network Computer Tech; Joyce Smith, Food Services Director; Marty Bouchard, Houlton High School Principal; Candace Crane, Houlton Elementary School Principal; Dawn Dougan, Curriculum Coordinator; Marion Gartley, Special Education; Dawn Matthews, Assistant High School Principal; Hollie McPartland, Guidance Director; Otis Smith, Adult Education; and Jason Tarr, Southside School Principal.
    • Endorsed a proposal from Athletic Director Bruce Nason to change the requirements for sports physicals to once every two years.
    • Approved the following staff/coaching nomainations: Paul Prosser, maintenance supervisor; Lynn Brown, secondary math lab techer; Katalin Grooms, secondary math teacher; Michael Carlos, varsity boys soccer; Matthew Swallow, junior varsity boys soccer; Tim Tweedie, varsity girls soccer; Katie Wright, junior varsity girls soccer; Marty Gervais, varsity golf; Bill Weber, junior high boys soccer; and Sarah Harbison, junior high girls soccer.
    The next regular meeting of the SAD 29 school board is slated for Monday, July 12 at 6 p.m. in the superintendent’s conference room.