
Students walk the halls between classes at Scarborough Middle School last April. Brianna Soukup / Portland Press Herald
Scarborough’s School Building Advisory Committee is looking at seven different concepts for a solution to its overcrowded schools.
Phase 1 of the committee came up with four of the concepts: renovations and additions at the existing schools; a fourth primary school; a new school for Grades 2 and 3; and a new school for Grades K-3.
Harriman Architects, who are working with the committee on the project, brought forward three other options: converting Wentworth to a K-5 elementary school and building a second one; a unified school for Grades 1-3 while making the existing primary schools just for kindergarteners; and a new K-2 school.

The seven options the School Building Advisory Committee is currently considering, including the grade restructuring that would come with each concept. Contributed / Scarborough School Building Advisory Committee
Part of Harriman’s charge was to come forward with concepts the Phase 1 committee didn’t consider. At a meeting on Jan. 6, the committee voted to keep those three additional options on the table in order to vet them and put them before the public.
“The focus of this phase is really just developing a selection methodology (and) engaging with the community through surveys and forums,” said Charlie Peters, chair of the committee, at a joint Town Council and school board workshop on Jan. 16. “It seems a little like we’re moving backward going from four to seven (options), but the committee did vote to at least keep those additional three options for review.”
In March, Peters said, the committee will work on narrowing the options down from seven to two, armed with feedback from residents through community forums and a survey.
In April and May it will work on refining those two options to one and in June will finalize designs for the final option before presenting it to the board and council, who will then consider putting it on the November ballot.
“I’m really interested to see what comes in March as you guys work through this,” said Councilor Jon Anderson. “All of these seem like they have pros and cons. All of these seem like they could meet our needs.”
The committee has yet to come forward with cost estimates on the seven concepts. Peters explained Harriman Architects is working on the estimates and the committee wants to ensure they are as accurate as possible.
However, the plan is for the estimates to be released soon so there aren’t any surprises before the election.
“I have sat on three different versions of this committee now,” said council Chair April Sither. “One thing that sets this committee apart at this phase, not only is the responsiveness to the community, but it is that focus on budget-first. The feedback was ‘we want the budget upfront’ so as a committee we’ve all been aligned on that since the beginning.”
Without costs, some at the workshop questioned how much feedback the public can provide. Without the costs attached, however, some argued residents can provide feedback on which concepts they would support.
“I think really what you’re asking at this point is ‘what feels better to you, your neighborhood, your kids?'” Councilor Don Cushing said.
School board Chair Shannon Lindstrom and others at the workshop said they would like to see a pros and cons list for each option. Peters said that’s something the committee has discussed, but it’s easier said than done.
“It’s easy to say ‘do a pros and cons list’ and then, when you start trying to do that, what is a pro to one person can be a con to another,” he said. “We’ve gotten into these debates; what half the room thinks is a pro about an option the other half thinks is a con.”
Committee Vice Chair Larry Cain noted the survey of residents after the failed referendum in 2023 has come in handy and the committee looks forward to the results of a new survey, expected to be released to the public in late January or early February.
“The data we had that was really valuable was that survey that got done right after the failed referendum,” Cain said. “We’ve really let that drive us because, ultimately, we need to put together something that will pass. So, we come back to it often and people on the committee will quote (from it at meetings).”
For more information on the project, go to scarboroughschools.org/building-project.
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