LIVERMORE FALLS — The Regional School Unit 73 board of directors gave concept approval Thursday for the Hollandstrong Community Foundation Proposal Project to improve the Spruce Mountain High School athletic facilities.

Deborah Roberts of Wilton, representing the Hollandstrong Community Foundation, said the foundation has already done significant fundraising for the project. The first phase will be upgrading the tennis courts, which are located beside Jay Elementary School and have been used by the high school teams in the past.

“We’re hoping to reach out and get some in-kind labor,” Roberts said.

Her son, Michael Holland, a Jay High School graduate and athlete, passed away Oct. 1, 2015, when the SS El Faro sank. The foundation was created in his memory.

Student school board representative Owen Schwab asked if an environmental analysis would take place before the work started. Architect Craig Boone responded that the analysis would occur.

“Overall, I think it’s an excellent idea,” said Schwab of the proposed athletic facilities improvements.

Roberts emphasized that the project was separate from the Hollandstrong Scholarship. She said money designated for the scholarship fund would not be used for the athletic facilities project.

Roberts added that no Spruce Mountain High School students had applied for the scholarship, and that the deadline is Monday, April 30.

The applicants:

• Must be enrolled as a student in a two-year or four-year degree studying engineering, machine tool, or automotive mechanic.

• Must have played at least one varsity sport while in high school, preferably serving as a team captain.

• Must have taken at least one industrial technology course while in high school.

More information on the scholarship is available at hollandstrong.org.

Spruce Mountain Middle School Principal Scott Albert said that on Wednesday, RSU 73 school administrators had rewarded the school secretaries for their hard work by allowing them time to partake in a lunch at Calzolaio Pasta Co. in Wilton. The principals, in turn, filled in for the secretaries at the front desk of their respective schools.

“I had some strange looks when I greeted people behind the front desk,” Albert said.

In other matters, the board:

• Approved a $5,575,765 loan to finance an energy savings and facilities improvement project with Siemens Energy for the four RSU 73 schools. The 17-year loan has a 3.71 percent interest rate.

• Set Thursday, May 10, at 6 p.m. in the Cedar Street conference room as the date for the next meeting.

bmatulaitis@sunmediagroup.net