HOWLAND – Later this month, residents of the eight towns served by SAD 31 will have the opportunity to get more information on a proposed new high school.

SAD 31 school officials and members of the high school building committee will present plans and information about the new high school project during a public hearing. The meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Thursday, June 27, at the Enfield Station School.

Two years ago, SAD 31 came in 12th on the State Board of Education’s priority list for funding. Now, the district is No. 11 on the list, meaning funding should be available soon.

Superintendent Keith Cook said the district was lucky to be on the state board’s priority list because the state no longer is funding projects in schools with declining enrollments. He admitted that if the district was seeking funds now, it might not receive it.

“We were very fortunate,” said Bonnie Lovette, chairman of the high school building committee.

Officials said the results of the upcoming referendum vote this fall on the new high school project is very important because if voters turn it down, district taxpayers likely would have to fund a new school.

Cook said the district continues to work with state officials on the new high school. He said the focus of the meetings is to get the most efficient programming for the new building. “We want to have the program and the building fit together so the building will do what it needs to do in terms of meeting the needs of students, the state’s Learning Results, and that it will fit within an affordable state budget,” he said.

Cook said plans for the new school are still being formulated, but he hopes plans will be solidified soon. “Our architects are working on it,” he said.

The district plans to place the new high school on the site of the existing school so it can continue to share some services with the Hichborn Middle School.

Lovette said the committee supports the concept of renovating the existing George Sereyko Memorial Gymnasium into a new cafeteria, library and multipurpose space and constructing a new classroom building and gym.

Cook said the new high school would include a gym, a classroom wing, special education classrooms, an auditorium, cafeteria, library and space for music programs.

Principal Brian Artes said the new high school would bring all programs under one roof. Currently the district houses its music programs in a separate building on the high school complex.

Officials said there will be a new street entrance to the high school. The athletic fields would stay in their current locations.

The superintendent said costs of the project have yet to be determined. Earlier, officials’ preliminary estimates for the project were between $6 million and $7 million.