The 8th grade boat-building program is the crown jewel of the South Bristol School, but like all jewels, it is expensive.
“It boils down to dollars,” said Bruce Farrin Jr., a school board member and professional boat builder.
The board and school officials are examining the program trying to determine if and how they can continue it.
“We want to be proactive,” said John Mitchell, a board member and another boat builder.
SBS Principal Scott White presented the board with a review of the boat building program at Tuesday’s regular meeting.
In addition, representatives from the Maine Maritime Museum boat building school presented a detailed outline of the class.
This year, the 8th grade class has four students. Last year there were 16. Next year’s class has the potential for seven students, White said.
Since 1994, the school has sent the entire 8th grade class to the Marine Maritime Museum in Bath each week for a unique work study program that combines academic skills, language, study and even homework, with the skills needed to craft a wooden boat.
The final exam includes building at least one boat, from raw lumber to varnished bright work. Sometimes it is a skiff, sometimes it is a different craft.
Along the way, the students learn to work, work safely, use tools, use math, discover a new vocabulary and learn to work together to solve the problems involved in boat building.
Safety is a priority, said boat building instructor Kurt Spiridakis. “In 15 years, we have not made one trip to the hospital,” he said.
A key component of the program involves problem solving.
“Boat building is an art. If the students find a way to solve a problem, and it works, we use it, even if it is not the way it is usually done by teachers,” said Jason Morin, the director of public programs for the museum.
Morin told the board the museum is a nonprofit corporation, but he said each program must at least cover the costs of the course.
White’s report said the expense to send the 8th graders to the Maine Maritime Museum boat building program costs $57,000.
That cost was funded by a $150,000 endowment from the Burns Foundation endowment. That endowment is projected to provide enough money to keep the program running to include the current 4th grade class.
The museum costs for the program are set at $28,929. A four-year average of annual costs for the school is $28,600. So far, the endowment provides $20,000 a year.
As the board discussed the program, several members suggested there might be a way to stretch the endowment funds to continue it for several additional years.
“If we could share costs, we could ensure the program will continue for our kindergarteners,” said Mitchell. He suggested there might be a way for the school and the town to share costs.
“Ultimately, the town will decide (what to do with the program), not us, or the selectmen or the school board,” said Mitchell.
Each year, the school holds a raffle for last year’s boat. The winner of this year’s boat will be chosen at the upcoming Town Meeting on Tues., March 9 in the South Bristol School gym.
