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Today, August 30, 2022, was a momentous occasion as the Baker High School Groundbreaking Ceremony took place. Citizens, elected officials, and school board members were all in attendance as various officials and educators spoke on the challenges, revelations, and hard work that allowed this vision to become a reality.
Everyone joined together in joy celebrating this great new chapter for the children of Baker and their future as well as the future of our city. The feelings everyone expressed was their excitement and enthusiasm to see the end result of all these years of praying and planning. Leaders extended thanks to all of the citizens of Baker for their patience, perseverance, and their willingness to see this achievement through to the end.
Construction has already begun on the beautiful design Manning Architecture has provided that addresses programs that had outgrown their facilities, accommodates new programs, and unifies this 27-acre site. In just six months they developed a plan that demolishes 60,000 square feet of existing buildings that were obsolete or damaged beyond usefulness, renovates the remainder, and adds 40,000 square feet in an efficient footprint. The resulting new building houses academics, administrative and guidance offices, a media center, and athletic facilities in one building. Walkways will move students and visitors through the site.
The consolidation of total square footage allows for the reorientation of building and site features which will make access for students and faculty more efficient throughout the facility and allows for the redesign of the onsite stormwater management system that included a detention pond, which will help alleviate continual flooding problems and consolidates utilities into a new central plant for the entire campus. It also reduces the number of vehicle entrances and creates a primary entrance into the building.
"As we continue to move Baker forward it is imperative that we build the facilities that best support this community, and creating neighborhood schools worthy of our children is a another more step in the right direction." - Mayor Waites
 Left to Right: Councilman Robert Young,
Photo Credit: Willie Williams
 The Pledge of Allegiance
Photo Credit: Willie Williams
 Mayor Darnell Waites
Photo Credit: Willie Williams
 Congressman Garrett Graves
Photo Credit: Becky Bond
 Mayor Darnell Waites
Photo Credit: Becky Bond
 Groundbreaking towards the construction of a new school!
Photo Credit: Willie Williams
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