School concept receives support > State facility a possibility

LIMESTONE — Local school officials received a boost Saturday when federal and state officials gave their support for a concept to establish a Maine School of Math and Science in Limestone.

“I think it’s a very exciting idea that makes a great deal of sense,” said Senate Majority Leader George J. Mitchell. “We can all participate in making it a reality.”

“This is a dynamic idea,” said Rep. Olympia J. Snowe.

Members of the Congressional delegation said they would pursue potential sources of funding through the Office of Economic Adjustment to serve as “seed money” for the school.

Sen. William S. Cohen supported the school concept, but posed questions relating to school facilities, funding, extracurricular activities, and teacher salaries.

The “magnet” school would attract 300 Maine high school juniors and seniors, or 2 percent of Maine students, to study mathematics and science in Limestone.

The school would occupy the same building as a proposed Limestone Public School for kindergarten through grade 12, but would be served by its own board of directors, said Limestone Superintendent James Morse.

Local officials are seeking federal or state grants to assist in the renovation of the Limestone Elementary School to house about 200 of the 300 students, said Morse.

The magnet school and high school would have separate budgets, costing approximately $1.1 million to operate the public school and about $2.2 million to run the state school.

Costs of specific programs and operations would be shared, and connecting wings between the two schools would house common programs such as swimming, advanced foreign languages and arts, said Morse.

Program costs would be shared proportionally and administration of the schools would be run by one superintendent, said Morse.

The “bottom line for legislative support of the school will be finances,” said Gov. John R. McKernan.

The average per-student cost is proposed at $7,000 per year, with 50 percent of the funding to be derived from state general-purpose aid, said Morse.

“This is an important investment for the future of the state and one that will have an impact on Limestone,” said McKernan. “As we are debating this issue, people will see what is happening up here with Loring Air Force Base leaving, and they will realize how important it is.”

McKernan plans to sell the school concept as a “long-term investment for the future of the state and a critical short-term investment for Limestone. There are some investments we have to make for the future of the state.”

As part of the proposed legislation, magnet school students could participate as Limestone students in extracurricular activities and sports.