BLYTHEWOOD (WACH) – A multi-million dollar project is underway to accommodate the growing population of students in the Midlands.

Construction crews are working on Westwood High School. The 330,000 square foot facility will be the fifth high school in Richland School District Two.

Ralph Schmidt will be principal of the new school.

“This school is going to be a dream in the community,” he says.

The school will be outfitted to accommodate the need for tech savvy students.

“The skills are changing daily we are now educating our children for jobs that haven’t been created yet,” Schmidt says.

When its doors open August 2012, between 1,000 and 1,110 students will fill the new classrooms.

The school will have a 500 seat auditorium and a gym that accommodates 2,000 people.

“We want to develop 21^st century people meaning people who understand that for our communities to remain strong and even get greater we at the school level have to teach community service, community action, and service learning,” Schmidt adds.

Schmidt says the expansion is necessary because the area grows at a rate of 300 to 400 students per year. He doesn’t expect that growth to slow any time soon.

He estimates the construction is a $70 million project. He adds it was paid for by a bond referendum approved by voters in 2008.

With the new school comes redistricting. Schmidt says a committee that includes parents will look at attendance lines to make recommendations about where students will attend school.

Do you think the $70 million investment is worth the cost? Leave us a comment below.