The word around the district for a while now has been that the Building Renovation Committee is discussing plans for a new and improved Kennebunk High School.

For years now, there have been mini renovations around the high school to try to improve things like C gym and the guidance office. There are actually a lot of major problems that have not been addressed though. The mechanical, security, electrical, and plumbing systems are all out dated and do not function properly anymore. The insulation and roofing are also in disrepair. Most every student has spent some of their high school career learning in a portable. These portables as well as 35 of the 40 classrooms are below the minimum size recommended by the Department of Education. As a school, KHS does not meet a lot of current building codes and is not easily accessible by all students and faculty.

Mildred L. Day School and Kennebunkport Consolidated School are also having trouble with outdated systems and an insufficient amount of space. These schools are being included in the renovation plans being discussed by the Building Renovation Committee.

Some people have wondered why the major problems with KHS can’t just be addressed and fixed individually. This alone would not take care of the issues at hand because in order to bring them up to current standards, it would take a whole renovation of the school. One large renovation would also cost less in the long run than smaller, individual renovations. In order to “fix what is broken,” a full building renovation is necessary. These renovations will take a lot of time, and yes, money.

The proposal that is being considered by the RSU Board would cost taxpayers about $74.8 million. This cost would be distributed between Arundel, Kennebunk, and Kennebunkport over a period of 20 years. Higher building costs and interest rates are expected for the future, so it would be less costly if the renovations began sooner rather than later.

Some people may ask why the State is not paying for the new renovation, but the reality is that the state only has a small amount of money to put towards paying for building school facilities. In the next five years the State will not be able to afford to fund more than 10 projects. Also, because of the higher taxes paid by citizens in our community, we do not receive much funding from the State for educational purposes. For the first time, substantial renovations like this will be funded by locals instead of the State.

Another frequently asked question is whether to combine M.L. Day and/or Consolidated School in order to create a bigger school or not. The problem with this is that when these schools were created, a law was put in place to protect schools that are the only ones in town. In order for either of these schools to close, the citizens of the town must be the ones to decide and vote to do so. Even if the citizens did vote in favor of closing one of the schools, it would cause a change in the funding formula. This would then create more costs for communities that are not closing a school. However, the district is pondering the idea of closing Sea Road School and accommodating all RSU21 students in Kindergarten through Grade 5 at KES. This would address the issue of the district having too much space.

Lastly, the biggest ‘what if’ question is whether the bonds will pass or not. There is a lot of urgency in these renovations taking action quickly. If these projects are put off, the buildings will not meet the appropriate level of programming that should be offered to students, and the facilities will not meet educational needs. The high school accreditation could be jeopardized.

If you are interested in the possible future renovations, or want more information, stop by the Building Renovation Committee meeting. Board members will discuss more details about the future plans then. This meeting will be held on Monday, October 7 at 7pm in the KHS auditorium.