After nearly two years of planning, construction of a new high school in Coupeville is about to begin.

A groundbreaking ceremony Wednesday afternoon kicked off the construction project that is expected to be complete by the beginning of the 2007 school year.

Approximately 50 people attended the ceremony that featured golden shovels, the school band performing the school song, and speeches by the sophomore class representative Kaitlyn Torres, who is a member of the first class to graduate from the new school, as well as Principal Sheldon Rosenkrance and Superior Court Judge Alan Hancock, who graduated from Coupeville High School in 1969.

Hancock said he hopes students will enjoy learning in the new school as much as he enjoyed learning in the old one.

“May they always be inspired by the love of learning as I was,” Hancock said.

The high school construction is funded by a $22.8 million bond voters approved in May 2004. Since that time officials have been working with designers, teachers, students and residents to help design the new facility.

“There’s a tremendous amount of planning and detail that goes into a project like this,” said school board member Don Sherman. The new high school will be built on the old baseball field behind the current building. To ensure games continue, a field was installed on school district property on the corner of Terry and Ebey roads. The current high school will eventually be demolished.

Sherman thanked the teachers, students, administrators and residents who helped pass the bond issue and assisted with the high school design. Their input will lead to a building the community will enjoy for years.

“The building of a new high school will bring a lot of encouragement to students and faculty,” Torres said. “It will help to bring wonderful new memories. And we’re real excited.”