By MOLLY DAVIDSON / Staff Writer

HELENA—Construction on the new Helena High School building is on schedule, confirmed Helena High School Principal Jay Peoples. The school is set to open in August for the 2014-2015 academic year.

The school hired several key staff members in late December, including athletic director and head football coach Watt Parker, band director Jeff Burnside and lead counselor Kim Bailey, and unveiled the design for the Helena High School band in January. Staff await the new school building’s completion, the next big step in the process of opening the school.

“We are anxious to take possession, get into our offices and work from what will be our home,” said Peoples.

The principal described the new building as “state of the art,” highlighting its technology and safety features.

“It was constructed with modern safety features and concerns in mind,” said Peoples of the building, which includes a tornado safety area.

Peoples also indicated the media center as a standout feature of the new school, calling it an “exceptional space,” and noting its architectural design.

While he gave no definitive opening date, Peoples said administrative furniture “for the large part has already been installed.”

The administrative offices and the counseling center will be the first to move into the building, with teaching staff moving in closer to the start of the 2014-2015 academic year.