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°W / 38.88472; -83.27611Coordinates: 38°53′5″N 83°16′34″W / 38.88472°N 83.27611°W / 38.88472; -83.27611
Information
Type	Public
Established	2008
School district	Harlan County Public Schools
Superintendent	T. Michael Howard
Principal	Edna Burkhart
Grades	9 to 12
Enrollment	1,300[1] (2014-2015)
Campus	Rural
Color(s)	Cardinal, black, silver[2]
Slogan	We Are HC!
Athletics conference	5A
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 three previously separate public high schools in the Harlan County district: Evarts High School, James A. Cawood, and Cumberland High School. (A fourth public high school in the county, Harlan High School, is operated by a separate district and did not participate in the consolidation.) 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 teams were provisionally to be called the Knights, however, public opinion led to the decision to name them 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:

• Baseball
• Basketball
• Football
• Golf
• Track and cross country

Girls:

• Basketball
• Cheerleading
• Dance
• Golf
• Softball
• Track and cross country
• Volleyball

Clubs and organizations

• Academic Team
• Band
• Beta Club
• Choir
• Drama Club
• FBLA
• FCCLA
• First Priority
• Jazz Band
• JROTC (Raider, Drill Team, Rifle Team,Color Guard)
• NHS

Notes and references