HOPKINSVILLE, KY (CHRISTIAN COUNTY NOW) – Furniture is expected to start moving into the new Christian County High school within the next few weeks as construction crews hustle to install final finishes on the interior. Opening to students this fall, the school is the consolidation of the current Christian County and Hopkinsville High School along with the Gateway Academy.

On April 21, Nicole Poindexter with Christian County Public Schools led the local Health Department on a tour of the new high school. She has hosted dozens of tours as construction progresses at the campus to educators and organizations. Christian County Now was able to tag along for an exclusive look at finished academy classrooms and labs, newly laid flooring at the Tiger gym and the expansive cafeteria space among other key features of the school.

Interior of a large modern hall under construction, featuring red-tiered seating on the left and scattered building materials on a plastic-covered floor.
Empty school hallway with beige cinder block walls, closed doors on both sides, and a blue accent wall by large windows at the end.
Wall mural showing farmland with tractors on the left and a car workshop with a lifted SUV in the center, plus an entry doorway on the right.

With 350,000 square feet of space available spanning between two floors and over 86 acres total, the scale of building off of Lovers Lane initially seems daunting. However, the division of academies and layout of the campus makes it fairly simple to navigate. The wings are divided up into four different academies, each of which has their own customized internal entrance, their own dedicated front office with and SRO, receptionist, counselor, and designated principal.

  • The Academy of Freshman Success
  • The Academy of Agriculture and Skilled Trades
  • The Academy of Business, Engineering and Manufacturing
  • The Academy of Health and Community Services

CCPS says the academy model features small learning communities (schools within schools) where teachers and students get to know each other over the course of three years while focused on specific career pathways.

Previously facilitated off campus at Gateway, academies at the new CCHS have multiple classrooms, labs, their own media center and large custom workshops where students can focus on hands on activities. The agriculture workshop features enough space to house four school busses while another wing has a fully fitted industrial kitchen for culinary students.

Industrial loading area with white garage doors along left wall, a blue right wall, and bright overhead lighting in a spacious, empty warehouse slot
Empty multipurpose room with blue and beige tiled flooring, large windows at the far wall view of an open field and parked cars, and geometric ceiling lights. Or alt shorter: Empty classroom or event space with large windows overlooking a field; blue and beige floor panels and modern ceiling lights.
Empty science lab with black countertops, wooden cabinets, and multiple metal sinks with high-arc chrome faucets.
Large empty commercial kitchen with stainless steel worktables, an industrial mixer on the left, and coats piled on countertops under bright fluorescent lights.
Construction hallway inside a building under construction: gray cinder block wall with long windows, blue accent wall in the distance, and a small scissor lift nearby

Learning spaces are intentionally designed to all have natural light, with internal windows installed to let in light from hallways. To help simplify and modernize the school, keycards will be used on all doors which automatically lock when they are shut.

Heading into the common area, the focal point inside the main entrance is the cafeteria. This large space has skylights tucked into the high ceiling and a social staircase. This flexible space will prove a more casual seating option for students during meals and may be utilized as a common space.

Multiple serving lines are set up at the cafeteria, giving the area a food court feel. Bistro style seating will be installed when furniture comes in alongside traditional cafeteria tables. An additional serving counter will also be in the space where culinary students will be able to serve specialty items.

Interior of a large modern hall under construction, featuring red-tiered seating on the left and scattered building materials on a plastic-covered floor.
Empty market or cafeteria with long glass food display counters and empty shelves along a blue wall, under bright overhead lights.
Interior of a large construction site with scattered cardboard boxes and packing material on a concrete floor, blue wall in the distance, and workers visible far back.
Indoor basketball arena with blue bleachers, orange walls, and a polished wooden court seen from a balcony with spectators.

In the same area is a college style bookstore space where students and staff can purchase items and Tiger swag.

Moving over to the gyms, the auxiliary gym will house physical education classes and additional team practice while also doubling as a tornado shelter. Just across the hallway is the main gym which can seat just over 3,200 people on two levels of expandable bleachers. Additional branding and a large four-sided video screen will soon be installed.

When games are being held, the gym has its own private entrance with concessions stands built in next to the choir and band classrooms. According to Executive Principal Ken Carver, students will also still have access to the gym facilities at the old CCHS and HHS campuses including the pool and track.

As the construction deadline approaches to get furniture in during May, the construction company is pushing for a temporary certificate of occupancy within the next two weeks since their main systems are up and operational.

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