The Jasper City (Ala.) school district has opened a new high school.
WVTM-TV reports that the new high school comes with a new name. It will be known as Jasper High School; the former school was called Walker High School. The Jasper City school board voted last summer to rename the school.
The district held a ribbon cutting last month, and students began classes in the new campus last week.
Jasper City has been working for many years to build a new high school. The district bought a site in July 2005, Lathan and Associates were hired as the architect in 2006 and a design of the structure was presented in 2008. The final design was presented in 2013, and construction began in October 2014.
The 290,000-square-foot structure has 69 classrooms equipped with large smart television screens and the latest digital technology.
The designed to hold more than 400 students, with a variety of seating options for students, including bistro tables, booths and traditional seating and four serving lines. The lunchroom also has a small stage and projector for small meetings or gatherings.
The theater has state-of-the-art sound and lighting, a large stage and tiered seating for 1,250 people. A competition gym for basketball and volleyball has seating for 2,000, and a practice gym seats 250.
Other areas of the building include separate offices for the school’s nurse and resource officer, administrative offices, an attendance office and school store. JROTC students also have a classroom equipped with a range, an area for classroom instruction and location to store uniforms and other equipment.
Two storm shelters have been designed to withstand winds up to 250 miles an hour. One shelter will accommodate 1,350 people; the second will hold 725.
