ORANGE BEACH — The Orange Beach Board of Education approved its first five-year plan during a board meeting on Thursday, Sept. 8. The plan is due to the state's education department by Oct. 1 and must include some type of activity for every fiscal year.

"It is fluid. This list is not absolute," Superintendent Randy Wilkes said. "It can and it will change along with the dollar amounts. The dollar amounts are estimates, and we have involved some professionals in developing those dollar amounts. They reflect money today, who knows what it might cost tomorrow?

"The board can shift priority on these projects, they can actually add and amend anything they want to at any time," he added. "Again, it's very fluid."

Wilkes said the plan is based on 5% growth year over year for the next five years.

"That will roughly take our school enrollment from about 1,500 to a student population of a little over 1,700 students," he said. "So, we are considering the construction of these facilities with growth in mind."

Projects listed on the five-year plan include:

• A cafetorium and a new library at Orange Beach Elementary School;
• Renovating Orange Beach Elementary School's library and cafeteria into eight or nine classrooms;
• Removing bad dirt and bringing in good dirt at the location of the current batting facility and weight room;
• Developing a multipurpose facility that includes a two-story field house, a covered practice area of approximately 60-yards and synthetic turf;
• A varsity competition gym of 24,000 square feet that would seat over 1,200;
• Amenities on the site including concession stands, restrooms, stadium seating and press boxes;
• A central office for the school district of approximately 3,035 square feet;
• A new gymnasium at Orange Beach Elementary School;
• Renovating the current gymnasium at Orange Beach Elementary School into a two-story facility with approximately 10 classrooms; and
• Expanding Orange Beach High School by constructing a two-story facility, creating a "quad effect" on the middle and high school campus.

"It's promising to see so many great things ahead of us," said Nelson Bauer, vice president, Orange Beach Board of Education. "Even though I know this is a fluid plan, it's just exciting to see it on paper."