Harlan County High School

Harlan County High School
Address
4000 U.S. Highway 119
Baxter, KY, 40806
United States
Coordinates 38°53′5″N 83°16′34″W / 38.88472°N 83.27611°WCoordinates: 38°53′5″N 83°16′34″W / 38.88472°N 83.27611°W
Information
Type Public
Established 2008
School district Harlan County Public Schools
Superintendent T. Michael Howard
Principal Edna Burkhart
Grades 9 to 12
Enrollment 1,118[1] (2013–14)
Campus Rural
Color(s) Cardinal, black, silver[2]
Slogan We Are HC!
Sports Archery, Baseball, Basketball, Cheerleading, Cross Country, Dance, Football, Golf, Softball, Track, Volleyball[3]
Mascot Black Bears
Nickname Black Bears and Lady Bears[2]
Team name Black Bears
Feeder schools Black Mountain, Cawood, Cumberland, Evarts, Green Hill, James A. Cawood, Rosspoint, and Wallins Elementary schools[4]
Website harlan.k12.ky.us/hchs/

Harlan County High School (also known as HCHS) is a public high school located in the unincorporated community of Rosspoint, Kentucky, served by the post office of another unincorporated community, Baxter. The school opened in August 2008 to replace the county's previously separate public high schools: Evarts High School, James A. Cawood, and Cumberland High School. The school has been met with mixed criticism, with praises for its unique architecture and design and educational value.

History

Main construction for Harlan County High School began in 2006 and finished in 2008. Opening orientation was held on August 24, 2008, and school was scheduled to open for students the next day. However, an arson attempt activated several sprinklers throughout the school, forcing the postponement of opening day until September. More than 1,700 students began attending the school on opening day.

The mascot was provisionally to be called the 'Knights,' however, public opinion led to the decision to name it the 'Black Bears' in honor of the Ursus americanus bears that inhabit the area. The school is the flagship of the Harlan County Public Schools, whose superintendent is Michael Howard.

Architecture and design

Although Harlan County High School is located in a rural community, the school was built with a generous budget and has been praised for its unique architectural design. Paired with a few defining characteristics - such as the multiple bear statues and giant bear paw painted on its grassy embankment - more remarkable qualities distinguish the school. The school's main entrance leads students through a lobby featuring images and artifacts of historic schools and into a three-story atrium, designed as a street that connects all the main functions of the school, from which one can almost view every area in the building as well. Other important areas include the main office, gymnasium, auditorium, lunchroom, library, security office, and classrooms.

Sports, clubs, and organizations

Harlan County High School is praised for its number of extracurricular activities, organizations, clubs, sports, and in-school electives that 'provide students unique opportunities to focus their studies on career interests, college preparatory, military science, the world of work and the fine arts.'

Below are a list of organizations, clubs, and sports that students may participate in, according to the official website of Harlan County High School.

Athletics

Boys:

Girls:

Clubs and organizations

Notes and references

  1. ↑ "2013–2014 Audited School Enrollments (in alphabetic order)" (PDF). Kentucky High School Athletic Association. Retrieved January 1, 2014.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Harlan County High School Directory Entry - (# 329)". Kentucky High School Athletic Association. 2008-09-12. Retrieved 2008-09-30.
  3. ↑ "Harlan County High School Athletics & Clubs". Harlan County High School. Retrieved 2010-08-15.
  4. ↑ "HCPS Schools". Harlan County Public Schools. Retrieved 2008-09-28.