Dale County High School in Midland City marked the completion of a $1.58 million campus expansion this week, cutting the ribbon on new additions that include a band room, an extra classroom, student restrooms and a concession stand at the softball field. School board leadership and a crowd of local supporters turned out Tuesday for the occasion, capping off a project that took shape over the past year.
Board Vice President Priscilla McKnight, a Dale County High School graduate, cut the ribbon, according to Dothan Eagle, with civic leaders, elected officials, beauty queens, and school educators and students rounding out the crowd. Baker's district has now delivered a facility upgrade that touches classrooms, arts programming and athletics all in one building push.
From Groundbreaking to Ribbon-Cutting in Under a Year
The project broke ground on August 13, 2025, in a ceremony that drew State Rep. Steve Clouse, State Sen. Donny Chesteen, Midland City Mayor Cindy Gary and county commissioners, according to Dothan Eagle's coverage of that milestone. That lineup of state and local officials underscored how much political weight had been put behind the Midland City project from the start.
District officials have stressed that the entire expansion was completed without taking on new debt, according to a Facebook post from school administrators. The finished campus also includes expanded storage space and LED lighting at the softball field, with the softball concession stand set to double as a student break shack, additions the board says reflect a debt-free financing model it's using as it juggles several campus projects at once.
Part of a Multimillion-Dollar Districtwide Building Push
State audit records show the district's total contracted cost for the Dale County High School renovations and additions reached $1,583,900, according to a review by the Alabama Legislature from May 2026. That figure is part of more than $6 million in active capital improvement commitments across the district, including simultaneous additions at Ariton School and Bridge Academy.
Just a day before the Midland City ribbon-cutting, Dale County Schools broke ground on Monday on a separate $2.6 million softball complex at Ariton High School, according to the Dale County Chronicle. The new complex will include a competition stadium, a practice field and a concession building for a softball program that had shared a municipal park complex for nearly 40 years.
Enrollment, Municipal Support and New Academic Partnerships
Dale County High School enrolled 437 students in grades 9 through 12 during the 2024-2025 academic year, including 127 ninth graders and 89 seniors, according to National Center for Education Statistics data. The school reported an 18-to-1 student-teacher ratio and a 59% free or reduced-price lunch eligibility rate, figures that reflect the rural Midland City population the new facilities now serve.
Local municipalities have chipped in too: Midland City joined Grimes and Newton in June 2026 to contribute a combined $7,500 directly to the high school, the Dale County Chronicle reported. That same month, the district partnered with neighboring Ozark City Schools to expand dual enrollment and career-technical education options for students at both systems.
Band's Storied History Adds Meaning to New Rehearsal Space
The new band room carries particular significance for a program with a well-documented past. In 2016, the National Federation of State High School Associations honored the Dale County High School Marching Band with its Heart of the Arts Award for sportsmanship, recognizing the band's performance in support of a rival team during state playoffs following the death of its former director, Sean Miller.
Coaching Change Complements Athletic Facility Upgrades
The expansion arrives under Superintendent Ben Baker, an alumnus of Ariton High School and Troy University who has led Dale County Schools to recognition as Alabama's highest-achieving county school system, according to Business Alabama Magazine. Baker remains active in local Wiregrass community organizations, the magazine noted.
The softball-side upgrades also follow a change on the football sideline. In March 2026, Principal Matt Humphrey named former Daleville head coach Will Garner as the Warriors' new head coach to help revitalize the program, the Dale County Chronicle reported at the time. Garner previously served as special teams coordinator at Dothan High School before taking over at Daleville.
