For Adam Harkins, it seemed about half of the recently installed Southport Central School windows showed too much daylight. As the school committee chairman, he checked the 28 new windows which cost $27,503.67, and discovered 13 didn’t fit properly, leaving a noticeable gap. “I noticed you could see daylight between the sash and trim, about a quarter-inch,” he said. “There was a meeting with the installer and manufacturer at the school. I told them nobody is getting paid until I’m happy,” Harkins said.

During the Sept. 19 school committee meeting, Harkins explained how a resolution was reached. He reported 14 new windows meeting specifications would be re-ordered and re-installed. A broken window and 13 others which didn’t fit account for the re-order. “It wasn’t really anyone’s fault,” Harkins said. “We discussed how to resolve it. Everyone gave a little, and we reached a resolution we could all live with.” The new windows will be re-installed when school is not in session. Harkins believes the work will be done on Wednesday afternoons or weekends. 

In other action, Principal Lisa Clarke reported the new school year is “off to a great start.” Clarke is looking to return to some old favorite activities in marking the new school year. One activity shut down in the past two years were field trips. But last week, Southport students attended Edgecomb Eddy for a “Mad Scientist” presentation, resumed bimonthly visits to Southport Memorial Library and participated in a coastal cleanup. “Tomorrow, we’re learning about life in Colonial America with a trip to Fort Pemaquid. It’s an outdoor program with lots of hands-on learning. It’s nice getting back to those programs we haven’t done in a while,” she said.

Another past favorite is also back on the school calendar. On Sept. 29, the school is holding an open house. Clarke believes the event will be a great time for parents to re-acquaint themselves with the school. “They can see changes made to the building in the past three years. It will also be a great way to meet with their kids’ teachers,” she said. 

Alternative Organizational Structure 98 Superintendent Bob Kahler reported member schools worked together to avoid a transportation problem. Edgecomb is down a bus driver. AOS officials met with bus drivers which resulted in a solution. “We combined routes which reduced a route freeing up an Edgecomb/CSD (community school district) run,” he said. “This is an AOS so we can’t order bus drivers to change routes. Members are a separate district so we seek volunteers and cooperation to solve problems.”

The committee meets next at 4 p.m. Monday, Oct. 17 at Southport Central School.