Portables to house Murphy classes on Clark-Shaw campus

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - The countdown is on, and in this case, not for the New Year. Crews are hard at work at Clark-Shaw magnet school, which will host a tidal wave of Murphy High School students, starting in just one week.

There will be 70 portable classrooms in all. Those classrooms will be the new Murphy High School, at least for now.

"We will move all the classes at Murphy to these units we will start moving Wednesday morning starting with the seniors," said Facilities Coordinator for the Mobile County School System Huey Belaire.

Photos: Murphy High School damaged in tornado

Belaire said they should all be in place by Friday on the campus of Clark-Shaw Magnet School. Belaire said crews have been working since a tornado hit Murphy Christmas Day, and affected a large part of Mobile County. First a parking lot had to be constructed for the portable classrooms.

"Not only that, we're having to build a power service. We've got Alabama Power here with us today, and electricians building those services for electricity," said Belaire.

Belaire said they are basically building a high school. He said he hasn't had to manage destruction of this magnitude since hurricane Katrina. The kids start back to school next week, as for these workers.

"Down to the last minute on Sunday," Belaire said.

Belaire said bathrooms, an office for the staff, and a facility where the students can eat are also being constructed.