March 4, 2013 (HARWICH) _ Chatham and Harwich have officially begun the process of building a new regional high school.

Officials with the newly-created Monomoy district broke ground Friday afternoon – with students from both towns on hand to witness the site of their future high school home.

The project will cost $49 million – less than the 60 million dollar cost that both towns approved.

The idea of regionalizing Chatham and Harwich schools goes back decades – and will now become a reality.

The new high school – to be located behind the current Harwich High School – should be ready for occupancy by September 2014.