Something Old, Something New: Tift County Schools opens administrative offices
May 10—TIFTON — Tift County's Board of Education held its long-awaited ribbon cutting Friday with a ceremony and open house that invited the public to see how the old school building had been transformed.
School Superintendent Adam Hathaway welcomed his audience. "We are unbelievably excited to have all of you with us," he said. "This moment is one that has been long in the making because this has been a dream of our system for many, many years."
The administrative offices, located on 12th Street, are probably most familiar to Tift County residents as Annie Belle Clark. It spent most of its history under that name, but was built as Tifton Junior High in 1928. Annie Belle Clark took over the building in 1962, after its original was closed; the Junior High shifted to the old Tifton High School. In a near repeat of history, Board of Education offices have been at the site of the original Annie Belle Clark.
Speaking at a podium in front of one of the entrances, Hathaway noted that it had served Tift County students for nearly 100 years.
"We hope that it's going to serve us for 100 years more," he said.
Hathaway thanked the Board of Education, "his chiefs," an operations team led by Robby Dasher, the Chamber of Commerce and the local neighbors for their patience during construction. The administrative offices are surrounded by houses.
He also thanked those who physically updated the building, architects Manley Spangler Smith and Cauthan Construction Company "for bringing this dream to reality — you guys have done an absolutely amazing job."
Board chairman Jonathan Jones said the building is about memories. He led the crowd in prayer.
Tift County High's JROTC put the final touches on the ceremony with a flag-folding ceremony before the Blue Devil Brigade played the National Anthem.
Hathaway cut the ribbon to officially open the building to the public.
The final students to have classes in the building were preschool age after Annie Belle Clark moved into a new building on Carpenter Road.
Hathaway believes the renovations have now made the old school "a showpiece" for the community. As part of the open house tour, pictures on posters showed various states of construction.
The changes are inside and out. New sod is growing on the lawn and one of the last steps of the renovation process was resurfacing the front parking lot.
Though young students are no longer taught at the building, the campus still has plenty to attract them. Playground equipment was removed from the front lawn, but many pieces have been reassembled on the east and south sides of the school.