Altus Public Schools builds new complex

ALTUS, Okla. (KSWO) - Altus Public Schools will be building a new cheer and dance facility that will serve the students of Altus High School for years to come.

It took three years for this complex to become a reality. Superintendent Roe Worbes says the community knew this was a need for the students.

“We’ve been trying to chip away at that list and the cheer dance complex was on that list and it kind of moved up the list because our facility that we currently use is just really gone downhill lately,” said Worbes.

Right now, cheerleaders have to take their cars to the older building that’s several blocks from the school. Worbes says it would cost more money to build something new than to fix the old building.

“The Facility is gosh I think from the 1940s this old it’s served it has served its purpose but the roof is really bad leaking it’s just got some issues that it’s going to cost more money than the actual buildings worth.”

Worbes says the school is able to pay for the new complex with Maps2, a sales tax that benefits the schools and has totaled over $3 million for this project to be funded and said it’s better for the students with it being so close.

“The good thing about this complex is it is on campus so it’s very close to where the students are. It’s going to double or actually triple be a triple facility which we’re very excited about.”

“Half of the facility will be for cheerleading the other half will be for dance and then during the day before seventh period we have added archery to the high school a couple years ago and so half of the facility that’s dance will also serve three periods of the day for archery.”

The new complex will named in honor of the late Michelle Lynn Cox. She was a teacher and cheerleading coach for 30 years.