New Union Parish Middle and High School set to open in August

The new Union Parish Middle and High School, replacing Farmeville High and Junior High, is set to open its doors in August.

The project costs an estimated $28 million dollars.

"Its worth is unlimited because of the task it has ahead, and that is to educate kids," says Cannon.

A property tax passed in 2014 paid for the school, as well as improvements on the district's elementary school.

Union Parish Middle and High School will be able to hold 1,200 students.

"Given the size district we have, that makes an awful lot of sense," says Cannon. "Both for supervision purposes and everything else that you can share."

The building will have new technology like smart boards, computer labs and science labs. It's everything Cannon says his students need and deserve.

"For too long, the kids in our district had been in substandard facilities and buildings that were old and crumbling down," says Cannon. "You couldn't put the technology in those buildings, they couldn't house the technology, they weren't wired for it or anything else."

It is a building Cannon says will build students' futures.

"What we're doing is not just building a pretty building," says Cannon. "We're putting the programs in place and opportunities for our children to be competitive in the 21st century."

Efforts are also underway to improve the Farmerville High School stadium. The district hopes to have those plans ready within the next month.