Just as Poca High celebrates its centennial, school officials, teachers, and students broke ground last Friday on a $1.5 million expansion project connecting the Dots to curriculum expansion and additional career-focused programming.
Friday, April 21, 2023, Poca High School broke ground on its College and Career Ready Facility. The Putnam County Board of Education, Superintendent John Hudson, and county and school leadership were excited and grateful to welcome the West Virginia School Building Authority (WVSBA), ZMM Architects and Engineers, Wiseman Construction, and other special guests to the Poca High Groundbreaking Ceremony to celebrate school expansions and the Major Improvement Project awarded by the WVSBA.
Putnam County was granted $1 million from the West Virginia School Building Authority to add 2,000 square feet to the high school. The Putnam County Board of Education also set aside $500,000 in the budget to help with rising construction costs. This will bring enhanced biomedical classrooms, multimedia space, and expansion of the Poca High agriculture program giving students more exposure to career fields and passions.
“This facility is going to be multi-use. It can be used as a STEM, multimedia, or media center. But, specifically, agricultural education with some remodeling; we will have a dedicated space for that. Also, biomedical. The important reason is that they’re hands-on learning, which helps our students prepare well for college and/or career,” John Hudson, Superintendent of Putnam County Schools, said. “It will serve as an opportunity for students to dive into a career field they may be interested in before making that big decision.”
Construction on Poca High’s College and Career Ready Facility Expansion is expected to start immediately.
SPECIAL THANKS TO CEREMONY ATTENDEES
WEST VIRGINIA SCHOOL BUILDING AUTHORITY
Andy Neptune, Executive Director
Dana Womack, Director of Architectural Services
PUTNAM COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION
Rob Cunningham, President
Bruce Knell, Vice President
Brad Hodges, Member
Wade Neal, Member
Christian Wells, Member
ZMM ARCHITECTS & ENGINEERS
Dave Ferguson, Principal Architect
Rodney Pauley, Project Manager
Carlie Ray, Interior Designer
WISEMAN CONSTRUCTION
Andy Wiseman, President
Jason Meeks, Project Supervisor
POCA HIGH SCHOOL
David Harper, Principal
Sonja Richardson, Assistant Principal
Derek Pauley, Assistant Principal
PUTNAM COUNTY SCHOOLS
John G. Hudson, Superintendent
Bruce McGrew, Assistant Superintendent
Micah Osborne, Communications & Events