An architect recently revealed plans for the new Helena high school, to be located on Hillsboro Parkway across from Helena Middle School.

The school will be well designed to accommodate Helena’s current student population, as well as any future growth the city might see.

The new high school will be able to hold 1,200-1,400 students.

Pelham High School currently holds just under 1,300 students, and officials expect the new Helena high school to have about half that population once the school opens.

That means the new school will likely start out about half full, providing plenty of room for the city to grow before any consideration needs to be given to expanding the high school.

That’s smart, and proves the foresight that school officials have.

Helena Mayor Sonny Penhale deserves congratulations for working hard for decades and finally seeing his prayers answered.

Because of his dedication to the cause, plans for the high school that has eluded Helena’s grasp for years are finally here.

For the next year and a half, Penhale can enjoy watching construction workers build his dream school.

In the fall of 2013, he will see the doors to the Helena high school open, and he can bask in the knowledge that he contributed as much as anybody — more than anybody — to getting the school built.

Moving forward, those who attend Helena High School will have Sonny Penhale to thank for memories made in their very own high school.

The We Say is the opinion of the Shelby County Reporter editorial board.