Construction is underway on a new wing at Murray High — an expansion anticipated by former school board members when the current school was built in 2003.

“This addition represents more than just bricks and mortar—it represents opportunity,” said Murray School District Superintendent Jennifer Covington at the June groundbreaking. “We are thrilled to be creating space for our ninth-grade students to join the high school campus, where they’ll have access to expanded programs, extracurriculars and the full high school experience. It’s a change that will support student growth, connection and success.”

Covington, a former Murray High teacher, recalled early conversations about planning for future growth.

“There was always a conversation that we needed to leave space, that if the high school ever needed to have an addition, it would be able to be done. I am so grateful for the foresight of those board members and district personnel and architects and construction managers that were part of the original project that have made it so we can do this addition in a relatively seamless way,” she said.

In April 2024, the Murray Board of Education unanimously voted to transition ninth-grade students into the high school as well as  approved the expansion. The new wing will house about 500 additional students when completed in 2027.

Funded by $35 million from a $125 million bond passed by voters last fall, the project also includes a secure entrance. Most of the bond — about $90 million — is allocated for rebuilding nearby Riverview Junior High, which will become a middle school, serving sixth- through eighth-grade students. It is expected to be ready in 2027.

School board president Kelly Taeoalli highlighted the importance of the secure vestibule and its design.

“This addition will finally give us a cooler, identifiable front door, enhancing our security protocols and providing a warm, clear welcome to all who enter,” she said. “Student safety is always paramount.”

The expansion includes 17 new classrooms, plus specialized rooms for art, science and foods. It will also house a teen resource center and administrative offices. The design and construction team includes VCBO Architects, Hogan Construction and BDK.

McMillan Elementary sixth-grader Sophie Sheahan will be amongst the ninth-graders who will move to high school with the completion of Murray High’s new wing, which is under construction. (Julie Slama/City Journals)

Among the first to benefit from the new space will be current McMillan Elementary sixth-grader Sophie Sheahan.

“It's going to be nice, because we're going to get new desks, new technology, new rooms and maybe even new teachers,” she said. “I’m excited, but also a little nervous because everyone there will be older than me — and my friends.”

Sophie is already thinking ahead about her academic and extracurricular interests — dance, soccer, musicals, a second language and chef class top her current list. She knows she wants to take a lot of math and science to become an ornithologist.

“I want to go out into their natural habitat and make observations. If they're going extinct, it would be cool if I could help them come back,” Sophie said. “In sixth grade, we’ve already been making discoveries and observations in science and math — it helps you with everything. I’ve already signed up for honors reading and math at Hillcrest Junior High for this fall. In high school, you can start to think about what you want to do with your life. I want to find my strengths and choose the right path for my future.”

Murray High Principal Quinn Linde said with freshmen in the high school, all students will have the same access to academic resources and support as well as the extracurriculars.

“Most importantly, this addition creates uniformity for all credit-seeking students, whether it’s access to advanced coursework, career and technical education or dual credit classes,” he said. “All students will now start on equal footing with the same opportunities. From day one, the new freshman wing isn't just about the space, it’s about the access, togetherness and preparing every single one of our Murray students for success.”