Superintendent Tim Edsell and Clark-Pleasant school board members officially break the ground for the new Whiteland Community High School complex Monday. Waylon O’Donnell | Daily Journal
Clark-Pleasant School District officially broke ground Monday morning on Whiteland Community High School’s $235 million complex that will unify the students under one roof.
The multi-phase project will bring new additions to the school and renovate the current building in preparation to better accommodate the school district’s growing population. The endeavor marks the most expensive capital project in Clark-Pleasant schools’ history, school officials said back in February.
Superintendent Tim Edsell said that this undertaking will strengthen the three primary facets that attract families to the district: academics, fine arts and athletics.
“A three-legged stool has to have all three legs in order to be operational,” Edsell said. “In the school system, what attracts families is those three elements: great academics, great fine arts and great athletics. We are so excited to be able to see what the next five years are going to produce. There are going to be some headaches and some challenges. It is not going to be a bowl full of roses.”
The first phase of the project will focus on the academic department. It will see the addition of a three-story academic building, a state-of-the-art science laboratory, larger instruction spaces and 60 new classrooms, elevating the high school’s student population capacity to 3,000, said Terry Lancer, chief executive officer of Lancer Associates Architects.
The academic wing will also include a multi-purpose atrium, said Misha Bilyayev, lead architect on the project, back in February.
Once phase one is complete, construction efforts will begin to take place inside of the existing high school. A new cafeteria and kitchen highlights the venture.
Other additions to the school will include a new student activity center, natatorium, performing arts spaces, a 1,000-seat auditorium, upgrades to the stadium as well as expanded choir and band rooms.
The current natatorium will be renovated into a weight room.
Lancer said at the groundbreaking ceremony they are thrilled for this project to begin.
“Our team will focus on building one of the most innovative and sustainable high schools in the state of Indiana,” said Lancer. “This is such an exciting time.”
Duke Lines, Whiteland High School principal, said that uniting the students under one roof not only adds to the student body’s connectivity, it is also paramount for their safety.
“As we grow as a school and do our best to become more connected – connecting our staff, our students and our community, this is a perfect step in the right direction,” Lines said. “We are breaking ground for a brighter future.”
School officials say the expansion is necessary to handle the district’s growth. By the 2029-2030 school year, officials project the enrollment will grow by approximately 1,000 students, bringing the total number of students in the district to nearly 7,800 including 2,500 at Whiteland High School.
The project is expected to be completed in 2027.
