Parents and educators at Foothills Composite School and the Alberta School of Fine Arts got their first look at what's to come in the new modernization of the aging High School.

More than $20 million dollars worth of work will be done to the facility both in the upgrading of facilities and general renovations.

Principal Vince Hunter says one of the big changes coming is in the science department where the classrooms will be going through a massive overhaul.

"We're breaking those classrooms open where we're going to have two massive labs for six science teachers to share as well as their own stations, with multiple break out stations for them to use," he says. "We're looking at a more open concept opportunity for teachers to collaborate and do some cross-curricular work and it's more of a university feel the way it will look."

Hunter says that's not the only section of the school going through changes.

"We're putting in a lot of time into our Fine Arts school, we're getting a brand new band room and a brand new stage and that's going to go where our mechanics shop used to be," he says.

Hunter adds by saying that the high school will also see improvements to areas that may not be the most appealing to the naked eye but a huge upgrade from its current state.

"The boilers are finally being replaced, air movement in our school, the roof it leaks everywhere, we have a science room where we have a funnel hooked to the roof so that it leaks down into a sink. All of those things are changing which those have a huge impact on us as a school."

The modernization will be worked on in four different phases with a tentative deadline for competition by late 2017 and work will begin in the spring.

Questions, comments, or story ideas? Email us at news@okotoksonline.com