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ALABASTER – Thompson High School will soon have a new welcome sign befitting its grand campus.

A 50-foot long, 12-foot high sign will be installed at the school’s main entrance, Alabaster City Schools Superintendent Wayne Vickers said.

The cost of the project is $96,476.

The expense was approved at the Alabaster City Schools Board of Education meeting on May 18, and officials are waiting for final contract approval from the state, Vickers said.

Williford Orman Construction LLC will install the sign.

The sign will utilize the same brick and stone materials to match the school’s exterior.

Precast stone panels will be engraved (no attached lettering) with the text: “Thompson High School, an Alabaster City School.”

The sign will be front lit so that it is visible at night.

It will be located off Warrior Parkway, a couple of hundred feet from the intersection with Thompson Road. The sign will face Thompson Road, and its large size and lighting will make it visible to motorists on Thompson Road.

“It should really enhance the school,” he said. “We wanted to make sure it was large enough to fit the site, but we didn’t want to take away from the school itself.”

Once approval is received from the state, the contractor is ready to begin work and should be able to construct the sign this summer.

“We’re just excited to get this sign ready for the school year,” Vickers said.