Just take a drive along Veterans Parkway in North Columbus and rapid growth is obvious. New apartment complexes are springing up and with more families come the need for more classrooms. Muscogee County is making sure those children have a place to attend high school.
More than 1,000 students roam the halls of Northside High School every day. About 200 of them are taught in detached portable classrooms. One of the teachers teaching in a portable classroom is 11th grade world history and AP world history teacher, Timothy Martin.
He says, "it has its advantages and disadvantages, obviously the weather. When the cold weather and rain hits we obviously have to walk back and forth."
But soon, Martin's 11th class may be moving into new construction.
The new addition is all part of the SPLOST, or Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax. It was approved by voters in November of 2009 and has funded several school expansions across Muscogee County.
Northside principal, Mr. Wilson says he is very excited about the expansion. He says the rapid growth in the area has made these extra classrooms necessary.
19 classrooms, along with a marketing and science lab, will be included in the new annex.
While progress is slightly behind schedule, due to weather, construction is expected to be completed by November 2012.
According to Martin, the addition has sparked a lot of excited talk amongst teachers.
He says "more than anything, just being close to other teachers as well, being able to, exchange information a little bit easier, obviously the weather issue and some of the possible technology upgrades.”
There is no word yet on which teachers will be moved into the new building. Administrators at Northside say that at this time, they don't know how many of the portable classrooms will go, but they hope to get rid of as many as possible.
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