HOPKINSVILLE, KY (CHRISTIAN COUNTY NOW) – As the current school year reaches the halfway point, Christian County Public Schools is looking ahead, with ambitious plans to relocate and centralize their alternative programs inside the current Christian County High School.
Superintendent Chris Bentzel told Christian County Now that repurposing CCHS into the district’s alternative programs campus once students move into the new consolidated high school is one of the main facility objectives they have planned for this coming summer. The existing alternate school, Bluegrass Learning Academy, currently sees students inside the Stadium of Champions football arena.
This new home may also come with a new name, with Christian County Learning Center pitched as a possible rebrand to provide a fresh, positive affiliation that properly encapsulate the range of alternative programming the district provides. Students are often placed at alternative programs like Bluegrass Learning Academy if they have faced expulsions, long suspensions, or their needs are not being met in a traditional classroom environment.
Range of programming at new campus, leadership
“We will have at least four, possibly more programs out there on one campus at the old Christian County High School,” said Bentzel. The new campus will combine the existing Bluegrass Learning Academy, the district’s Focus and Finish program which provides credit recovery on a hybrid schedule, and their home hospital program which is available for students that cannot attend traditional classes due to medical conditions. The new campus will also house the Virtual Learning program.
Bluegrass Learning Academy ranges between 120-150 student, with around 50 in Focus and Finish. Approximately 250 students are currently enrolled in virtual learning, however they will still have space to utilize the new campus in cases of counseling, assessments, in person tutoring, intervention, or other instances. Bentzel shared that new access to the cafeteria, gym, and specialized classrooms will be beneficial for students in alternative programs.
In November, Christian County Public Schools announced Carrie Caples as the new principal of alternative programming for the 2026-27 school year. Bentzel said she will be supported by a team of CCPS staff to make the transition into the new campus as smooth as possible.
“I consider it a true honor and privilege to work with students whom some may label as at-risk,” said Caples when the announcement was made. “I prefer to see them as at-promise, because I believe deeply in their strengths, potential, and resilience.”
Bentzel said the ball will get rolling with solidifying plans going into the second semester after the holidays. The new campus should be ready for students by August 2026. Other main priorities for CCPS during the summer include getting construction of the new Christian County High School finished within budget, as well as newly announced renovations to the Stadium of Champions.
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