Sidewalk will provide safe route to Penquis Valley School
MILO — When Penquis Valley School students return to class later in the month, they will have a safe walking route in place with the installation of a sidewalk along Penquis Drive off West Main Street.
Earlier this year the state awarded the Town of Milo a $100,000 Community Enterprise Grant for the sidewalk installation.
Students will be able to walk safely to and from the building on the right side, rather than be in the road with all the vehicle traffic.
The town needs to provide an additional 25% of the total to meet a matching requirement, which would come out of the paving budget. Public works would do some demo work to help keep costs down.
The sidewalk project is running a bit behind but should be finished soon, SAD 41 Superintendent Darcie Fournier said during an Aug. 5 school board meeting at Penquis Valley.
The first day of classes is Wednesday, Aug. 26.
The sidewalk grant is the third in four years awarded to Milo. The community used a similar grant to fund parking lot improvements several years ago and sidewalk repairs in 2025.
The town plans to apply for more funding in 2027 for a sidewalk leading to Milo Elementary along High Street.
“The paving project started here today. We are hoping things will be done soon,” Fournier said about work being done by the middle school entrance.
Brush is being removed and trees are being cut along Penquis Drive. Versant Power requested the work in a letter to the district, Fournier said.
At the Marion C. Cook School in Lagrange, new windows have been installed and the playground fence has been expanded.
“So the kids will have more room to run and play and get that energy out,” Fournier said.
An open house for the pre-kindergarten program at the Marion C. Cook School will be from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 24. The event is for students, families and community members to explore the complex and meet staff.
Pre-K families will be able to ride on the school bus to help the students get used to the mode of transportation.
The school is seeking bids for a deteriorating portable classroom on the Lagrange campus. If no offers materialize, the building will be demolished. Any sale money will go into the SAD 41 general fund.
“It’s been around for much longer than it’s anticipated life so it’s time to go,” Fournier said.
The school board approved appointments for the soccer coaches: Robbie Romero, high school boys; Erin Weston, high school girls; Brett Crocker, middle school boys; and Chelsea Richards, middle school girls.
High school practices start on Monday, Aug. 17, with middle school soccer beginning a week later on Monday, Aug. 24.