On Friday morning, Christian County School System Superintendent Chris Bentzel announced significant proposed changes and updates on consolidation during the Chamber of Commerce State of the Schools Eye Opener breakfast. The proposed changes will bring about a slew of new opportunities for the students of Christian County and the community at large.
Bentzel discussed how the Christian County Public Schools have been working with its partners to conduct cost analysis and to make cost-cutting changes to the proposed consolidated high school. The district is hoping to re-bid the project as soon as mid-April.
This is excellent news for the county, as the smaller project will maintain the academy model in less space. Bentzel further mentioned that the current plans are for the new high school’s initial construction, not including a gymnasium, athletic fields, and several other items.
The academy model will begin as a consolidated school with Hopkinsville High School acting as the freshman academy and Christian County High and the Gateway Academy housing sophomores through seniors.
The Local Planning Commission will also consider a proposal from the Christian County Public Schools to move Hopkinsville Middle School to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary School and disperse those MLK students throughout the district. This is an excellent opportunity for the students of Christian County, as it will allow them to experience different schools, cultures, and learning styles.
The district also hopes to move students from Indian Hills Elementary to the current Hopkinsville Middle School, and the Inspire Early Learning Academy would move from MLK to the current Indian Hills building—with all of these proposals tentatively set to take effect at the beginning of the 2024-25 school year.
At the Chamber of Commerce State of the Schools Eye Opener breakfast, the Christian County Chamber of Commerce announced Bell Helicopter had donated an Army helicopter, and two salvaged T53-13B engines that will ultimately be passed on to the Christian County Public School System to be utilized at Gateway Academy for a hands-on learning program.
This is an excellent opportunity for the county’s students, as they will get the unique chance to learn first-hand about the inner workings of a real helicopter. The students will also have the chance to learn about mechanics, engineering, and other technologies that go into the design and operation of a helicopter.
At the State of the Schools Eye Opener breakfast, Bentzel presented the All-In Community Partner of the Year award to Hopkinsville Rotary, the Inspire Award went to Sinking Fork Elementary School, the Engage volunteer of the year award was presented to Caleb Lancaster, and the Succeed Award went to Vex Robotics at Gateway Academy.
These awards show the hard work and dedication of the students in Christian County to excel in their schools and their communities. It also shows the dedication of the teachers and administrators in the county to strive for excellence and to provide their students with the best possible education.
The proposed changes and updates announced by Superintendent Chris Bentzel at the Chamber of Commerce State of the Schools Eye Opener breakfast are an excellent opportunity for Christian County Public Schools students. These changes and updates will bring about new opportunities for the students and the community and help the district maintain its academy model in a smaller space.
The students of Christian County will also get the chance to learn about the inner workings of a real helicopter and other technologies that go into its design and operation thanks to the donation of a helicopter, and two salvaged T53-13B engines by Bell Helicopter.
The Local Planning Commission will also consider a proposal from the district to move Hopkinsville Middle School to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary School and disperse those MLK students throughout the district. This will help to create a more diverse educational environment for the students of Christian County.
Finally, several awards were presented at breakfast to recognize the hard work and dedication of the students, teachers, and administrators of the Christian County Public Schools.
Overall, the proposed changes and updates announced by Superintendent Chris Bentzel at the Chamber of Commerce State of the Schools Eye Opener breakfast are an excellent opportunity for Christian County Public Schools students and the community.
Watch the full The State of the Schools below:
