A capital campaign is underway at Lincoln Academy to raise $1.7 million for the construction of a Center for Applied Technology and Engineering.
The school has already raised $600,000 “thanks to an important lead gift and a small number of very generous donors,” according to a school press release. “The construction schedule will depend on the success of this fundraising campaign.”
The center will replace the rooms under the Nelson W. Bailey Gymnasium, home to the program since 1970, when it was moved from the basement of the old gym. According to the press release, “The current space is outdated, undersized, noisy when gym classes are in session, and inadequate for the accelerated pace of technology in these subject areas.”
“Building a modern, technologically up-to-date, safe, healthy and attractive learning environment will attract more students and retain excellent faculty for this important program that prepares young people to pursue further education in their area of interest, enroll in apprenticeship programs, or enter the work force with the basic knowledge, skills and work habits required by employers.”
Lincoln Academy has yet to finalize plans for construction, but a preliminary site plan calls for the center to occupy a space just north of the baseball diamond near left field.
The press release stresses the importance of teaching marketable skills in the modern economy: “The decline in [technology education] programs at the secondary level has been a matter of concern across the U.S.
“The lack of skilled laborers entering the workforce and the recent direction of all students toward a liberal arts education has sparked public debate in Congress as well as in small towns across the country.”
“The time is right for it,” Lincoln Academy Head of School Jay Pinkerton said. The administrator, a technology education teacher at Foxcroft Academy for 11 years prior to his career here, has firsthand knowledge of the field.
Improving technology education “is also of particular interest to Gov. Paul LePage,” as the press release points out.
The governor received a 45-minute tour and reviewed the plans for the center May 21, before hosting one of his Capitol for a Day town hall meetings at the school.
LePage “got very excited” about the plans, Pinkerton said, and the school has “asked for some help” from his administration.
LePage and Education Commissioner Stephen Bowen “understand the importance” of technology education, Pinkerton said. “It’s very different from the last administration.”
The center will require two full-time employees, a doubling of the current technology education staff.
Some area students will continue to attend vocational programs in Bath and Rockland, Pinkerton said. The new center will teach a wide range of skills, while vocational programs usually provide in-depth instruction in a trade of the student’s choice.
Excerpts from the press release follow:
The Center will be the home for introductory and advanced courses in the technology education curriculum, which includes basic automotive maintenance, automotive engines, automotive performance, recreational vehicles, small engines, machine tools, carpentry, woodworking, electronics, metal working, welding, technical drafting, architectural drafting, computer-aided design, engineering, marine technology and creativity and innovation.
Technology education programs were formerly called ‘industrial arts, ‘shop’ and, when they were first introduced at LA in the 1940s, ‘manual arts.’
Technology education continues to be a vital part of LA’s comprehensive secondary education program for all students who choose LA as their high school.
Students who wish to take courses beyond the introductory level can proceed to advanced courses in engineering and drafting, electronics and engines. At all levels, the goal is to provide a design-build experience.
For students who thrive in hands-on learning situations, these courses can enhance learning in all disciplines. Students in a college preparatory academic program will learn practical skills that will help them in all aspects of life.
The new center will have natural light, high ceilings, modern ventilation and safety features, and built-in access to electricity, technology, compressed air and water. There will be storage for equipment, supplies and works in progress.
The building will be located where noise and fumes will not impact other areas of the campus and where vehicles can be easily and safely maneuvered and stored. Classrooms will be flexible, with computer technology appropriate to the level of the curriculum.
Three labs, each with 12-foot by 12-foot overhead doors and two with floor-mounted asymmetrical lifts, will make it possible to work on automotive, small engine, marine and carpentry projects at the same time.
A welding lab will have workstations with specialized ventilation hoods and the latest safety features. A finishing room for using and storing paints and varnishes for the marine, automotive and woodworking programs will keep this area separate from the general labs.
This up-to-date teaching and workspace will more closely simulate a real-life working environment. Two drafting classrooms will provide areas to teach 2-D and 3-D drafting and engineering. Each area will have separate and lockable storage for supplies and projects. An attractive entrance and lobby with a conference/research room will provide space to display student work.
Based on preliminary designs, the new space and outfitting will cost approximately $1.7 million, and additional funds will be needed to support its operation on an annual basis.
Since Lincoln Academy is a private school that serves as a public school for sending towns with choice, the tuition is determined by the state.
The tuition formula does not include major capital improvements to the facilities; these funds are raised from private contributions. Recent capital projects at LA such as the Alumni Dining Hall, courtyard and bus loop; the Parker B. Poe Theater, the Ryder Science Wing and the tennis courts were funded, all or in part, through private contributions.
For more information and a copy of the preliminary drawings and budget, contact Kathe Cheska in the LA Development Office at 563-3599 or cheska@lincolnacademy.org.