THE CAROLINA STATES SUPPLEMENT
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July 14 2010
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Vol. XXII • No. 14
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“The Nation’s Best Read Construction Newspaper… Founded in 1957.” Your Carolina States Connection • Richard McKeon, Charlotte, NC 1-800-288-4234
Watauga’s New High School Combines Modern Convenience, ‘Green’Features ity,” he said. The new facility, the only high school in this largely rural county, boasts 280,368 sq. ft. (26,047 sq m) of space on three The finishing touches are now being applied to the sparkling levels. The main building has three wings that house the school’s new Watauga High School, a project designed to replace a facil- more than 100 classrooms and other educational spaces. There ity opened 45 years ago. Located on the eastern edge of Boone, is also a gymnasium that holds up to 1,400 people, as well as a N.C., the new school, with a price tag approaching $80 million, smaller, auxiliary gym, a 709-seat auditorium (with a balcony) is nestled in a picturesque valley surrounded by the Blue Ridge for the school’s various performing arts and a large commons area. Mountains. Within the commons area is a spacious cafeteria that offers Work began with the groundbreaking in September 2007 on 93 acres off U.S. Highway 421, just to the southeast of the boule- both conventional seating, as well as bistro-type seating, Hemric said. vard’s intersection with The cafeteria — indeed N.C. 194. The location, the whole school — offers known as the Perkinsville wireless internet as all site, has enough room for Watauga High students, several athletic fields and for the first time, will be parking areas, besides the equipped with laptops in school itself. the 2010-11 school year. Approximately 1,364 “Within the classstudents attended classes rooms, we will offer desks in the old school, located that are boomerangonly a few miles away, shaped in order to allow during the just-completed for multiple configura2009-2010 school year. tions so that students can The old Watauga High, work in a collaborative opened in 1965, will be setting,” Hemric razed and the site used as a explained. new recreation center for He also is quite proud Watauga County residents. The commons area is designed with windows facing west so the of the many “green” fea“The old school was best use is made of natural sunlight. tures of the new school, pretty full and near its capacity,” said Marty Hemric, superintendent of the Watauga including using construction products that are non-toxic to stuCounty School System. “Our population has actually been on a dents, teachers and the environment. “It is comforting having a facility where you know that all the decline and is projected to be flat for the next decade, so building the new school was not due to overcrowding. It was more products that went into the construction emit very low levels of that the infrastructure and the technology of that facility had just oxidants,” he said. “From the wallboard to the paints to the lighting it is a safe environment that will not hinder students’ ability reached the end of its useful life.” The new school can hold up to 1,600 students, a number that to stay alert and engaged. Research has consistently shown that Hemric doesn’t anticipating hitting in the near future. However, these things improve academic performance.” Another unique feature of the school is the installation of two should the total enrollment exceed that number, he said, the 60,000-gal. containers underneath the front entrance of the main school’s design allows quite easily for additions. “We hope that it will be in use for 75-plus years and we think building. These two tanks are designed to serve as catch basins that that will occur due to the design’s adaptability and flexibilsee WATAUGA page 2
By Eric Olson
CEG CORRESPONDENT
Crew members working on the 30-ft. (9 m)-high auditorium ceiling.
The instrumental music space features an acoustic ceiling to ensure the best sound.