The end of May brings a busy school year in Clay County to a close. Ground was broken on a new multi-million-dollar consolidated high school and the county took the first few steps toward uniting two historic rivals.

Naming the school was the final step taken by the county school board last week. After a short discussion during a board meeting, members decided “Central High School of Clay County” will be the title of the new school taking shape along Taylor Road.

It may be the last consolidation-related decision the board takes on before 2012 — the year Central High School of Clay County is scheduled to open — but that doesn’t mean county school officials aren’t going to work on the issue over summer vacation, said Garey Reynolds, county schools superintendent.

“We’ll just continue the course we’re on, the construction’s going full speed,” Reynolds said. “I don’t see any relaxing going on.”

Naming the school, choosing colors and choosing a mascot are one three steps in the long process of bringing Clay County together, Reynolds said.

The colors, as previously reported, are red, white and blue and the mascot name is The Volunteers.

Consolidating personnel looms large in the distance.

The school board is working on that now, board member Donald Harris said. Most of the work will be done next spring, he said. But folks are looking at the big picture and beginning to put some tentative plans together.

“There’s a lot of little things coming into play that we have to deal with trying to jockey personnel around,” Harris said.

In the meantime, more and more of the new high school is going up between Ashland and Lineville. A roof is on “Building C,” which will hold the kitchen, agricultural and band rooms, said Vernon Buchanan, construction site supervisor. Masonry walls are up on both sides of the gym, topsoil has been laid on the football field, concrete slabs have been poured for the baseball field house and the concessions stand and footing for the home bleachers is in place, he said.

Continuing construction and preparing for the next school year in the current buildings is this summer’s designated focus, Reynolds said. He doesn’t anticipate making any serious personnel decisions until after Christmas.

“We’ll just take it one step at a time,” Reynolds said. “Until you’re actually in the school there’ll be something else to do.”

Star staff writer Jason Bacaj: 256-235-3546