BAKER - The start of school is less than a month away, and we're getting a closer look at the new Baker High School that's set to open in 2024. Demolition started last year and had to come to a halt once asbestos was found in October.

Demolition began in September 2022. Now, almost a year later, it's completely different. They're still clearing out some debris but the main thing is that crews are laying down the foundation which should be completed sometime next week, weather permitting.

Construction crews have demolished 60,000 square feet of existing buildings that were beyond repair from the 2016 flood, making way for another 40,000 square feet.

The new high school will feature more classrooms and science labs as well as renovations to the cafeteria and the gym. Though the school was supposed to be completed late this year, asbestos is to blame for the halt in construction.

"You can see they're still demolishing some of the buildings and they're actually starting to lay the foundations over here. Everything looks like it's still on track and we're hoping to finish up in the spring of 2024 and move in in the summer," said Interim Superintendent JT Stroder.

The nearly 20-million-dollar project will house up to 600 students. Stroder says the Baker community is excited to see what's to come on Groom Road.

"You can kind of see that there's a new wing that's being constructed on this side, so there will be a new wing, some labs. We're overhauling our auditorium right here and then we're remodeling the old wing," said Stroder, "So, you know, Baker High school is pretty iconic for a lot of members of the Baker community. We're really excited to set that in a new stage coming forward.

"I think it's huge. There's a lot of history in Baker, there's a lot of famous people that have come out of the City of Baker School System so I think that is what it represents," said Stroder. "It's a big part of what makes this community what it is. So I think getting that completed and getting it up and running, people are really excited to see that happening."

The new high school is expected to open in April 2024 and will start enrollment next summer. They're expecting about 400 students to enroll.