Educators and students from the Christian County Public School System cut the ribbon on the new Indian Hills Elementary School campus on Thursday.
Last year, the school system announced a campus transition plan that saw the closure of Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School. Hopkinsville Middle School moved to the old MLK Elementary School campus and Indian Hills Elementary School moved to the Hopkinsville Middle School campus.
The old Indian Hills campus was becoming cramped for the school’s growing population so the campus transition accommodates that growth. Superintendent Chris Bentzel, says Indian Hills Principal Sara Johnson was hesitant toward transitioning, but saw that the move could enhance learning and teaching opportunities.
Unlike the old campus, the new Indian Hills campus has a separate cafeteria and gymnasium.
Initially, Johnson says she found the transition daunting. She attended Hopkinsville Middle School and remembered the school’s orange and black decor and thought it would be hard to make the school feel like home and accommodate elementary school students.
Through the transition, Johnson says it isn’t the building that makes Indian Hills what it is but instead, it’s the students and the educators. However, she believes the new campus will make a difference in their students’ lives.
One difference Johnson says they are working on is organizing a high school mentor program. With Indian Hills now neighboring Hopkinsville High School, Johnson says they plan to have some high school students volunteer as mentors for the elementary school students.
Christian County Public School students return to school on Monday.
