Battle High School will join Rock Bridge High School and Hickman High School in August 2013 as the school system’s third comprehensive high school, in response to the area’s population growth.
Plans to add a third high school began in 2006 after the first of three $60 million bond issues passed. Between $75 and $80 million has been allocated to build Battle, a two-story, 300,000 square foot building holding up to 2,100 students. Its media center will be centrally located, allowing easy access for the four grade-level wings of classrooms.
“Some students may be in other wings taking advanced courses, but remaining in one wing for basic classes keeps the class together and builds a community,” said Christine King, Columbia Board of Education vice president.
Battle will also have facilities for all its athletic teams and art, science and performing arts wings. The performing arts wing will include a black box theater.
The rest of the bond’s funds have been put toward adding Astroturf fields, building two elementary schools and providing other school improvements.
“Hickman was built 80 years ago and Rock Bridge 40 years ago,” said Wanda Brown, Columbia Public Schools assistant superintendent for Secondary Education. “We’re doing things to both. We’re building new gyms and adding vocation classes at Hickman.”
Opening a third high school will also enable Columbia Public Schools to house grades nine through 12 in the same building. Hickman and Rock Bridge currently house grades 10 through 12.
“Ninth grade students have to shuttle back and forth to take advanced classes or play sports,” Brown said. “Battle will reduce the transition and create smaller learning environments.”
The school system plans to convert its three middle schools, which house grades six and seven, and its three junior high schools, which house grades eight and nine, into six intermediate schools containing grades six through eight.
“(The change) all starts at the intermediate schools,” King said. “We will have created an environment where students only have to transition one time and (will) spend three years there.”
A committee of 25 individuals chaired by Don Ludwig worked over 1,500 hours to produce 140 redistricting scenarios. Community members will be able to view and comment on the final three proposals throughout November both at public forums and online.
Committee members will take the public’s input into consideration when they create the final proposal to be presented to the Board of Education in January or February 2012.
Columbia Public Schools plans to inform students March 2012 of the redistricting changes that will go into effect August 2013.
“If we have set a deal hopefully by February or March, students will know a year and a half before school starts (where they will be going),” King said.
Battle is expected to have 1,200 students in grades nine through 11 for the 2013-14 school year. Because seniors will not be moved, Hickman is expected to house around 2,000 students and Rock Bridge between 1,800 and 1,900 that year. Each school is expected to enroll between 1,700 and 1,800 students in following years.
The redistricting committee will make a recommendation to the Board of Education about a transfer policy for interested students after the redistricting plans have been finalized.
MU Freshman Courtney Engle, who graduated from Rock Bridge High School in May, said she thinks the redistricting will be difficult for current high school students.
“I think it would be hard for some students who would have to go to different schools,” Engle said. “There’s a good chance all of their friends would go to one high school and they would go to (another). I can see that being tough.”
But Engle also said she thinks the addition of Battle is a good idea.
“Having three high schools would be a good idea just to evenly distribute students and have more space,” she said.
