NATCHEZ — Teachers, families and friends gathered Saturday to furnish Cathedral School’s new middle school building.

“It’s an addition to the tradition,” said Monica Mayo, a graduate of Cathedral and mother of an eighth-grade student. “And it’s a continuation of the tradition. We’re expanding. We’re growing. It’s great.”

Mayo’s daughter will be spending one year in the middle school, which houses sixth through eighth grades.

“We’re just excited,” said 13-year-old Liza Mayo, about the move to a new building.

Construction on the 14,500 square-foot building began in September, and students have been able to watch the construction during the school year.

The building contains eight classrooms and a state-of-the-art science lab.

“We’ve talked about it so much that I think it’s the excitement of being part of something new,” said Shannon Bland, elementary school principal.

Bland said she had parents asking if first and second graders could come help and be part of the move.

The most exciting part of the move for Bland was seeing new families who will be sending their children to Cathedral.

“I think it’ll do well for the teachers as well as the student body,” said Jennifer Rosso, who just moved with her family from north Alabama.

Rosso’s son, David, will be entering the sixth grade at Cathedral this fall, and Rosso hopes to one day teach there.

Pat Sanguinetti, chief administrator and high school principal of Cathedral, said nearly 100 people came to help during the move Saturday.

The middle school is part of a larger campaign of building and remodeling at Cathedral.

The goal of the campaign, which is titled “Our Children, Our Tradition, Our Future,” is to provide students with more science, engineering and math programs.

The chemistry and biology labs, as well as two elementary bathrooms and two high school bathrooms, were completed last year.

A new athletic facility, which will be located near the softball fields, will be the next part of the school’s construction and remodeling project.