OUTLOOK | APRIL 2020 71
Rome High School’s Princpal Eric Holland speaks at the ground breaking ceremony.
he said. “It worked, but if you go around and visit
other CCAs, they had buildings built, classrooms
that were designed for these pathways.”
They decided they wanted a building that was
designed for their needs.
The superintendent also suspected that Rome
High may be the only school in the state that
doesn’t have a field house where football players
can practice indoors or during inclement weather.
He also said they don’t currently have anywhere
for football players to practice indoors whenever
there is inclement weather.
“Right now, sometimes (the color guard) is
practicing inside the cafeteria,” he said. He also
said he’s seen some members of the track team
running up and down the hallways in the school
for practice if the weather is bad, and the weight
room is currently on the second floor of the high
school above a classroom.
Along with the college and career academy will
come improvements for athletics. The school
system is allocating 40,000 square feet to the
improvement of athletics.
The idea is to offer football players, band, and the
color guard a place to practice indoors, there will
be a 50-yard indoor football field at the CCA as
well.
The College and Career Academy, according
to Byars, is estimated to cost around $24 million.
Most of that will be paid for by ELOST money, and
there are about $1 million in grants for the project
as well.
Byars is expecting that just about every student
at Rome High School will use the CCA in some
capacity or another. Originally, students were set
to be ready for move in for the beginning of the
fall 2020 school year. Now, however, Byars said it
will be between Fall and Christmas breaks.