Mr. Shipman discusses building new high school (story by Michael Butler)

With plans for a new high school and fine arts center in place, what might come next?

"I have been asked if we have this surge of student population into our system," Tallassee City Schools superintendent Wade Shipman said. "Then all of a sudden, none of our schools are going to be big enough to hold the students that we would have. My view of that would be that we would build an upper elementary school."

Shipman said if that comes to fruition, that type of school would be less expensive to construct.

"You could build one for much less than a high school, somewhere between $5-10 million. What we would do is divide to an upper and lower primary. You would shift the grades. You would have K-3, 4-6 and 7-9 to have a junior high instead of a middle school. What you're really doing is spreading the students around."

According to Shipman, this is an option if f there is "tremendous growth." The location of an additional school has not yet been addressed.

"We have a five-year plan through the state. We try to plan all of our renovations through that."

The price tag for the high school is approximately $30 million.

"I would like to think that we would have some growth. I want to bring good quality kids into our system. A little growth will be good."