Friday was groundbreaking day for Altus High School’s new construction and renovation project. “It was an exciting moment in our history as we took the first official step toward the process of turning our historical high school building into a state-of-the art facility,” said Bob Drury, Altus superintendent. School board members, Chamber of Commerce representatives, school administrators, politicians, Altus Air Force Base officials, and other supporters of the project gathered in front of the AHS campus to witness the historical event.

The $17 million dollar new construction and renovation project is being funded by the MAPS for Altus sales tax issue, which passed in August of 2008, by more than 75 percent. “We would like to thank the citizens of Altus for their continued efforts to improve our city and our schools,” said Mr. Drury. “Our schools reflect the tradition and pride of our community, and the overwhelming support of MAPS shows that the citizens of Altus understand the importance of maintaining our schools.”

The city/school combined sales tax issue was a first for Altus, and reflected the first time Altus Public Schools has received additional local funding for school construction in over 50 years. The district’s share of the sales tax was designated for the modernization of Altus High School.

School district officials met over the past year with Boynton Williams and Associates, the architectural firm selected for the project, to finalize the plans for the construction and remodel project. Joe D. Hall was selected as the project’s construction manager. Construction on the new wing will begin over Christmas break, and the entire project is estimated to be complete by the summer of 2012.

The Altus High School renovation plans call for retaining the exterior walls of the circa 1930 building, while gutting the building, reconfiguring the floor plan, and bringing all classrooms up to date with the latest technology. The building’s windows will be replaced, and a new roof and new heating and air conditioning units will also be installed. The high school library/media center, now in the city’s Hightower Park across the street, will be moved to the renovated portion of the building. A new classroom wing will run north to south behind the existing building, with a center atrium between the old construction and portions of the new.