After years of waiting, parents are finally getting to see what the new Northeast High School and Appling Middle School complex will look like.
Latosha Blash is raising her two sons, now but back in the early 2000s, she was walking the Halls of Northeast High School.
“I remember the sports and everything. It was nice,” Blash said. “Northeast was a good school.”
She says the school has seen better days, and hasn’t changed since she was a student.
“The upkeep has been good. I’m not complaining about that, but the school itself is long overdue,” Bibb School Board member Ella Carter said.
She says Northeast holds a special place in her heart, and is thankful the school is getting a $43 million upgrade.
The upgrade includes a whole new building and moving Appling Middle School to the same complex on Upper River Road.
“There’s a movement going on and this just takes it to another level,” Carter said. “All the schools work together for that Northeast pride. I think this is just going to be the answer for what they've been wanting.”
Architects unveiled the design for the complex during Thursday’s board meeting. They plan to knock down most of the school, everything except for the Mark Smith Gymnasium building. The plans include building a new 600-seat auditorium for the high school, several courtyards, and a kitchen for the schools to share. The two schools will be completely separate other than the kitchen, and there will also be a nurse’s station.
“It’s just time for us I’m just excited about it everything is looking good,” Carter said. “I think we’re going to see a new day for Northeast.”
Blash says that’s exactly what they need in their neighborhood.
“For this development to be happening in Macon for the east side, it’s going to be good, positive vibes, for the kids and the community,” Blash said.
The Bibb School Board plans to break ground for the new complex next summer.