New Gatewood High School opens for educational business

Published 2:18 pm Thursday, August 22, 2024

EATONTON — Out with the old — as in about six large trailers, some of which were on the grounds for almost two decades — and in with a brand new high school building. That’s how Gatewood welcomed the 2024-25 school year Friday.

There’s a great big new green G greeting visitors to the Eatonton campus, so there is no doubt where the new high school is located complete with new roadways. It’s the latest edition to the campus to go with the new gymnasium five years ago, and headmaster Jeffrey Decker couldn’t be happier.

“It’s 29,000 square feet. It’s got nine classrooms. A music room. Two science labs and an art room,” said Decker as the school hosted open house Aug. 14. “It’s also kind of the campus headquarters for people coming to check their kids out for doctor’s appointments, (etc.). All of the administration has moved into this building.”

One of the bigger spaces, just to the left as one enters, is a cafeteria by day and a performing arts center complete with a stage at night. Decker said this was sorely needed, and it has dressing rooms for boys and girls.

Work on the interior isn’t complete, either. Decker said Phase II will be to add a full-service kitchen if they choose to do so.

“It gives us all the space we need,” he said. “We’ve gotten rid of six trailers where kids were going to classes, which I never liked. We are rid of all temporary buildings. Every kid and every teacher is in a real classroom.

“It also helps our security plans. All the doors on campus are locked during the day. Now kids aren’t leaving those buildings because they don’t have to. Everything is centered for all three schools. It gave us a second cafeteria.”

The additions, including the gym, are 40,000 square feet of quality space.

Decker has served as Gatewood’s headmaster for 11 years, but he said these plans were in the works for the campus for “decades.” They got serious about expansion right before the COVID-19 pandemic. Decker said the gym was completed, then plans began for a new high school.

That meant bringing in three more trailers. Decker said enrollment went up, and they were running out of room.

“It grew in scope, and price as well,” he said. “It lays the future for this school.”

Funding for the facility came from federal money and “generous” donors. Decker said this should take care of the need for capital campaigns for the next 50 years.