Huntsville City Schools

Huntsville City Schools is the school district serving Huntsville, Alabama.[4] As of the 2016–17 school year, the system had 24,083 students and employed 1,697 teachers.[5] The district oversees 36 schools: 21 PreK-elementary schools, 6 middle schools, 7 high schools, and 2 magnet schools.[6]


Huntsville City Schools
Address
200 White Street
Huntsville, Alabama
, 35801
United States
Coordinates34°44′02″N 86°34′41″W
District information
GradesPK-12
SuperintendentChristie Finley [1]
Asst. superintendent(s)Vacant [2]
Schools37
NCES District ID0101800[3]
Students and staff
Students24,083
Teachers1,697
Staff766
Student–teacher ratio13.45
Other information
Websitehuntsvillecityschools.org

The school system finished the 2010 fiscal year with a debt of nearly $20 million the largest of any school system in Alabama by a significant margin.[7] However, after Casey Wardynski was appointed superintendent, he worked to erase the school system's debt and bring the budget into surplus.[8]

It is partially within Madison County,[9] and partially in Limestone County.[10]

History

In 2014 officials from the school district began monitoring social media activity from students. The officials stated that a phone call from the National Security Agency (NSA) prompted them to do so.[11] In the 2013 fiscal year it paid Chris McRae, a former agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), to run this program.[12]

Elementary schools

Middle schools

High schools

Others
  • Community Intensive Treatment for Youth (C.I.T.Y.) (alternative school)
  • Huntsville Center for Technology (vocational school)

Failing schools

Statewide testing ranks the schools in Alabama. Those in the bottom six percent are listed as "failing." As of early 2018, three local schools were included in this category:

  • Mae Jemison High School
  • Lee High School
  • Ronald McNair 7-8[13]

Former Schools

Board of education
  • District 1 - North Huntsville (Currently held by Michelle Watkins)
  • District 2 - East Huntsville (Currently held by Beth Wilder, 2nd Vice President of the School Board)
  • District 3 - South Huntsville (Currently held by Elisa Ferrell, President of the School Board)
  • District 4 - Downtown Huntsville (Currently held by Walker McGinnis, 1st Vice President of the School Board)
  • District 5 - West Huntsville (Currently held by Carlos Matthews)

Revitalization

Currently, a major overhaul of the cities school facilities and curriculum is occurring. In 2012, a new digital curriculum was issued, giving all students laptops and increasing digital usage for teaching. This was done to take advantage of the growing use of computers and to help give students easy access to information and organization. In 2011, a $194 million five year capital plan was granted by the Alabama Board of Education to the Huntsville City School System. With this, the city plans to renovate and construct new facilities for many of its aging campuses. These include a new Blossomwood Elementary School, New Freshman Academy for Huntsville High School, construction of a new building and campus for the combination of Lee High School and New Century Technological School, construction of a new Whitesburg Elementary, Virgil I. Grissom High School (the cities largest student body), and J. O. Johnson High School. Renovations and consolidations for many other of the cities schools is also planned.

References
  1. "Huntsville Board of Education Selects New Superintendent". Retrieved January 30, 2017.
  2. "Deputy Superintendent". Retrieved January 6, 2017.
  3. "Search for Public School Districts – District Detail for Huntsville City". National Center for Education Statistics. Institute of Education Sciences. Retrieved March 16, 2012.
  4. "History".
  5. "HCS 050 Fast Facts Sheet 11/1/16" (PDF). Huntsville City Schools. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 22, 2017. Retrieved December 18, 2017.
  6. "About Us". Huntsville City Schools. Retrieved December 18, 2017.
  7. Huntsville City Schools almost $20 million in the hole, worst in the state, December 12, 2010, retrieved February 28, 2011
  8. "Superintendent Casey Wardynski surprises Huntsville with resignation announcement". WHNT.com. September 14, 2016. Retrieved March 18, 2020.
  9. "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Madison County, AL" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved August 1, 2022. - Text list
  10. "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Limestone County, AL" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved August 1, 2022. - Text list
  11. Stephens, Challen. "Huntsville schools say call from NSA led to monitoring students online." Alabama Media Group. September 24, 2014. Retrieved on September 25, 2014.
  12. "Huntsville schools paid $157,000 to former FBI agent, social media monitoring led to 14 expulsions" (Archived 2014-11-03 at the Wayback Machine). AL.com. November 1, 2014. Retrieved on November 3, 2014.
  13. "Failing Alabama public schools: 75 on newest list, most are high schools". AL.COM. January 25, 2018. Retrieved January 26, 2018.
  14. "Former J.O. Johnson High School". City of Huntsville. Retrieved March 18, 2020.
  15. "Butler High doors closing after 64 years in Huntsville". al. May 20, 2015. Retrieved March 18, 2020.
  16. "Our Story". Campus No. 805. Retrieved March 18, 2020.
  17. Doyle, Steve (May 23, 2014). "Vacant Terry Heights Elementary building west of downtown Huntsville will soon be history". al. Retrieved March 18, 2020.
  18. "Seldon Center". Huntsville City Schools. Retrieved March 18, 2020.
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