Improvements made to SAD 1 schools
By Scott Mitchell Johnson
Staff Writer
MAPLETON — The Presque Isle High School Wildcats are gearing up for their upcoming basketball season, and fans and players alike will see some huge changes to the school’s gymnasium.
As part of the $2.3 million bond referendum that was approved by district voters in June, crews have not only replaced the hardwood floor, but also installed new bleachers and wall padding.
“The gym was definitely a big project, but it looks great and it’s ready to go,” said Bob Gagnon, SAD 1 operations supervisor, at the Oct. 9 board meeting. “The 50-year-old floor was buckling, so crews put in a new one, and the bleachers were outdated and did not comply with ADA regulations, so those were also replaced. Crews worked 16-18 hour days on the floor over a four-day period.
“The old bleachers would seat about 1,000 people, but with the new bleachers, we’ve lost approximately 200 seats,” he said. “However, 80 of those were really steps and aisles that people would sit on; not actual seats. Our seating capacity will now be about 800, but everyone will be a lot more comfortable. We have installed new electric backboard winches, and repainted the entire gym. It looks great and I’m excited for the community to see the improvements.”
Gagnon shared a PowerPoint presentation with directors showing them before- and after-pictures of the various projects that have been completed. Other work done as part of the bond referendum included converting from No. 2 fuel to liquefied petroleum (LP) gas at all five of the district’s buildings — PIHS, Presque Isle Middle School, and Mapleton, Pine Street and Zippel elementary schools; improving the building envelope and door weather stripping at all schools, interior and exterior lighting upgrades at all buildings, installing a new incline lift at PIHS, and paving at various district locations.
The energy-saving projects will save the district thousands of dollars over the coming years.
“We’ve made real progress thanks to this bond,” said Superintendent Gehrig Johnson. “About 80 percent of the projects have been completed, and crews are continuing to work on the remaining 20 percent. The energy savings from this project will pay for the bond over its 10-year term, so the project essentially pays for itself.”
Also during the October board meeting, which was held at Mapleton Elementary School, school board directors were given a brief update on LD 1422: Proficiency-Based Diplomas. According to Larry Fox, curriculum director, LD 1422 changes high school diploma requirements as the first step in moving all schools to the proficiency-based education model promoted by the Maine Department of Education.
“The change to a learner-centered, proficiency-based system of education is one of the most significant changes in education in the last 100 years,” said Fox. “It holds great promise for helping all students graduate career- and college-ready for the 21st century.”
To earn a proficiency-based diploma, students will have to show mastery of every topic or skill before graduating. Fox said local leadership teams will be formed to set goals and develop implementation plans.
“There will be some very substantial changes in the way we’ll be delivering education over the next few years, and there’s a lot of excitement about these changes in the teaching ranks,” he said. “However, it’s still very early in the process and we all have a lot of work to do to understand this new proficiency-based education model. It will be exciting and I think it’s important for the board to learn more about this as we move forward.”
Additional information on the proficiency-based learning will be shared with school board members in the coming months.
The next regular board meeting is tentatively scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 20 at 5:30 p.m. at Zippel Elementary School.
