UNITY – SAD 3’s bid for state funding for a new middle school-high school will delay the building project by at least three to five months.

The board voted Sept. 22 to pursue amending its application for state funds from a new high school, to a new grade six-12 facility.

The state ranked the project at No. 5 on its priority list a year ago.

The decision came after district representatives expressed their concerns about the problems that would remain if a new high school were built; specifically, the aging Mount View complex would still need substantial renovations.

State Department of Education officials encouraged the district to consider demolishing all but the wing of the Thorndike school that is in best repair and using it as an elementary school. Also discussed was retaining the high school gymnasium, which could be used by the community.

SAD 3’s building committee meets Monday to review with Superintendent Daniel Lee and the district’s architectural firm, Oak Point Associates, the new timeline for the project.

Committee Chairman Read Brugger said Thursday that the original timeline for the project has been pushed back.

Originally, the site selection process was to have neared completion in November, he said. Now, May is the target date for finding a location for a new school.

New dates for straw polls and district votes also will have to be set.

The committee also will review criteria for the site selection process when it meets Monday.

Brugger said some residents have asked whether district officials are considering property in each of the 11 towns in the district.

Oak Point will have to complete an analysis of new construction versus renovation for the grade six-12 school, Brugger said. The same work was done for the nine-12 project, and Oak Point Associates recommended new construction.

Also on the agenda for Monday’s meeting, which is at 7 p.m. in the Mount View library, is a discussion of how the Mount View High School gym would be managed if it were retained.