CUMBERLAND, Miss. (WTVA) -- Residents of Webster County are counting the days to when they can send their children to the new East Webster High School.
While students are still being educated in a temporary setting, the rebuilding efforts of the high school are on schedule.
Construction of a new and improved school is starting this week.
"The dirt work is about to start taking place," says Jack Treloar, superintendent of schools in Webster County. "Everything has been contracted out, and we're ready to start. They will move on-site this week."
The school was heavily damaged by a tornado on April 27, 2011.
"All of our students and faculty and staff are very excited about the new construction starting," says Treloar.
Plans call for East Webster High School to open in the fall of 2013, and when students and faculty return to campus, they will notice several changes.
"We're going to have the new high school, which will contain the cafeteria," adds Treloar. "It will also contain the administrative offices, and it will contain classrooms, and we're also starting construction of a new 500-seat auditorium."
When the school reopens, the class of 2014 will be the first class at the new and improved school to start a new era and say goodbye to the temporary setting.
"It will be two years of being at Wood College, which we were very fortunate," adds Treloar. "It's been an absolute godsend that we have that facility to use and house our students in."
The school's reopening is expected to help revitalize Cumberland and the surrounding area.
Funding for the work is coming from insurance and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
