Dr. Mark Head, administrative assistant to the Pike County superintendent of education, was the program guest at Brundidge Rotary Club Wednesday.

Head brought the Rotarians up to date on the construction projects that are underway at schools around the county, on projects that are on the drawing board and an innovative idea that is almost a best kept secret.

Head talked first about the fine arts facility at Pike County High School that should be ready for occupancy by mid-September.

“This is the first facility in the system that is dedicated to the arts,” he said. “We are extremely proud to have this facility in Brundidge. When state funding is cut, the arts are usually the first thing to go but the arts have a place here.”

Head said the fine arts building will house the band, choral music and art programs and also have a stage for the performing arts.

“The Business and Finance Academy at Pike County High School has been very successful,” Head said. “We would like to have a fine arts academy at Pike County High School in a couple of years.”

Head said Dr. Mark Bazzell, superintendent of Pike County Schools, and the board of education recognize the importance of the arts in education.

“When the new gymnasium is completed at Goshen High School in November or December, plans are to convert the old gym into an arts facility, giving further support to the arts in the county schools, Head said.

Although the installation of new windows in a building is not usually considered a big deal, Head said the replacement of the windows at Pike County Elementary School was a big deal.

“The new windows made a huge difference in the way the school looks,” he said.

Plans for the Banks School have been on the backburner for some time but no more. The primary and middle schools are growing and plans are to “grow” with the enrollment.

Head said a new building on the Banks School campus is in the not too distant future.

“Consolidating the two schools would be ideal,” he said. “But, that would depend on the cost. Plans for Banks School are in the exploratory stage right now. But we do have plans.”

Head said there is the possibility that Pike County High School could become a “virtual” high school. But that’s very forward thinking.

That possibility raised a few questions from the Rotarians who, laughingly, said they can’t think that far into the future.