Unit 4 Looking Forward To New High Schools

As Champaign School District students get ready to go back to school, Unit 4 leadership is looking forward to having those kids learn in renovated high school buildings in a few years. 

The school district will spend a total of $87-million dollars on Central and Centennial High Schools. Both will get technology updates for student learning.

While Centennial will look the same on the outside, Central High School will look very different by the 2022-23 school year. The Champaign School District has been buying up land around Central. The plans call for additional classroom space, building-wide air conditioning and new windows.

Last November, voters passed a referendum to fund construction at the high schools and at four other schools.

Superintendent Susan Zola says the district won’t forget the voters.

"It was a long process to identify what the community was really seeking in terms of our high school, but we are incredibly grateful and will continue to articulate that gratitude as we move ahead," Zola said.

But, what happens if both high schools become over-crowded in the next decade?

Zola explained, "We’ll be completing a demographic study at the district level and that will give us better guidance as we plan for future middle school growth as well as if a third high school may be needed in the next 15 to 20 years as part of our work moving forward."

Zola says contractors have started to prepare both high schools for renovations. The actual construction will start next February.