Nute High closure among options facing board

SAU 64 Schools Superintendent Michael Tursi (Courtesy photo)

MILTON - In the face of an aging Nute High School and the backdrop of a large bill if it’s decided to renovate the grand ole dame of area learning, the Milton School Board and SAU 64 Schools Superintendent Michael Tursi are exploring a wide range of academic options for high school students, including area agreements with neighboring high schools and abandoning Nute High all together.

Tursi said all options are on the table, including entering tuition agreements with Farmington, Governor Wentworth, even MSAD 60, a neighboring school district headquartered in North Berwick, Maine.

Tursi said on Thursday that the board has sent out requests for proposal for a facility analysis to determine what is the best option academically for the district’s high school students.

Tursi said in the midst of the local school board beginning to consider various options, Farmington's school district reached out to Milton regarding having Milton students attend Farmington High. Tursi stressed that option along with all the others are being equally considered.

He said renovating and upgrading Nute may prove to be a costly venture, so the district wants an array of options available should it prove prohibitive.

Tursi said one option might even be multiple area agreements in which students would have a choice of attending one of several area high schools.

The requests for proposal are expected to be completed by the second week in May, with the process of analyzing current facilities being done over the summer while students are on break and out of the building.

Tursi stressed that the options will be judged on what is best for the students academically.

The next school board meeting is scheduled for May 14 at which time the public is invited to attend and comment, he said.