What's next for Demopolis healthcare high school project

The state approved putting the $60 million residential healthcare high school in Demopolis, and the governor ceremonially sign the bill into law at the Civic Center on Tuesday.

So now what?

Gov. Kay Ivey said at the celebration event that she wants the school built and open by 2026.

“Let’s get this school built – let’s get this school opened in under two years,” she said. “Let’s get this funded in my final budget as governor, and let’s get students from all over Alabama in the Alabama School of Health Care Science.”

The school and dorm for the full-time students will be located in the former New Era plant on S. Cedar Avenue that is located strategically behind partner Whitfield Regional Hospital, where physicians and nurses will work with the students.

Rob Pearson, chair of the Alabama School of Healthcare Sciences Foundation, the philanthropic organization formed to support the school, said the old New Era plant will be “turned into a completely new era of healthcare education” that will be a model for other states to follow.

Pearson says the Foundation needs to form a full board, the school needs a Board of Trustees and those leaders will then hire a superintendent. The leadership team will then need to hire a staff that will develop the curriculum. And they need to build the school and dorm. 

“It’s time to take this from concept to delivery,” Pearson said on Tuesday.

Demopolis Mayor Woody Collins credited the community for working together to get it approved and said at the Tuesday ceremony that it is time to get to work.

“Now it’s time for us to roll up our sleeves and go to work,” he said. “With the energy, the tenacity and the passion this community has for this project, I’m going to tell you – and all the media out there feel free to quote me – We will not fail. We will make Alabama proud.” 

The school is expected to have between 85-100 students in each graduating class.

The Alabama School of Healthcare Sciences will be paid for in part by a $26.4 million investment from Bloomberg Philanthropies that the Foundation was able to score and announced in January.