Built in 1953, East Junior High was a great addition to the growing East End neighborhood. “It was constructed to relieve crowding at North Junior High, and has grown a lot since it was first built” says Principal Bonita Hammer. In 1972 an industrial arts building was added to the school. The following year there were three portables added to the campus to make room for more classes. Perhaps the largest addition took place in 1974 when a gym annex and dressing rooms were added to the school, creating a greater opportunity for students to enjoy sports. This year East Junior High is scheduled to be demolished. It will be moved down Warm Springs between Riverstone International School and the Shakespeare Theater to accommodate the changing school boundaries.
The new school will have three feeder schools: Garfield, Riverside, and Adams Elementary. “Some students are very sad to see their school being torn down, but others are looking forward to the new experience. The entire facility, especially the library and computer labs will be more up to date,” said Principal Bonita Hammer. The new school will have more potential for sporting events with the new sports facilities including: tennis courts, an all weather track, two gymnasiums, and a weight room.
Overall the new school will be a better learning environment. It will offer better music facilities with practice areas, a digital lab and darkroom for photography students, and science labs. Many parents and students have been wondering why the new school isn’t being rebuilt on the same lot. “We have looked at where students live, and the current location isn’t very convenient,” says Bonita Hammer.
The traffic is also an issue at the current East Junior High. Dropping students off is an everyday hassle since there is not a place to safely drop students off. There is also a lack of event parking which the new school will provide. As much as we hate to see East Junior High relocated, the staff and others are going to take as many artifacts, murals, and records with them as they can. “We really want to keep as much historical items as we can, and take as much of the old school with us as possible.” the Principal says with a big smile on her face. The hall of fame will also be moved down Warm Springs with the school, maintaining all of its records it holds. It is also planned that the bricks from the walkway in front of the main entrance will be relocated with the school. And as for the current lot that East sits on, it will be transformed back into an athletic complex by Boise State University.
The Boise schools will use the new athletic complex for high school sporting events, and will also be the home site of the BSU Track and Field Team.