Construction on a new alternative school building could soon begin after school officials last week approved the facility’s funding.

The Dawson County Board of Education voted unanimously July 6 to fund construction of the newly-named Hightower Academy.

Charles Black Construction guaranteed a maximum price of $2.4 million for the entire project. Funding comes from the latest education local option sales tax.

The 15,000 square-foot facility, which will be located on Perimeter Road, is slated to be complete by the middle of the 2010-2011 school year.

Currently, the school is located in what used to be a phone company’s warehouse on Allen Street.

Staff and students of Hightower Academy will temporarily relocate to a wing of Dawson County Middle School, while construction of the new building is completed.

Lanier Technical College students will use the current Hightower Academy building in the interim, while renovations are being completed there.

The board of education approved a name change for Crossroads to Hightower Academy last month.

The school’s name was changed to more accurately describe the student make-up, as well as to modernize the school’s mission and vision, according to Principal Anthony Guisasola.