More than five years after a tornado ripped the roof off Hunt school, leaving 12 classrooms exposed and the campus empty, renovations are nearing completion.
In the next few months, final touches will bring the long-empty school back to life, with Columbus Municipal School District hoping to wrap up construction by the end of the year.
“Renovations are progressing as planned, and we expect to complete them by December,” Assistant Superintendent Craig Chapman wrote in an email to The Dispatch.
Funded by a combination of insurance settlement and federal and state emergency management funds, the $16.5 million project to essentially rebuild the four-building campus began in June 2023 with hopes to finish within a year.
The timeline was pushed back primarily because of delays with procuring supplies and materials, Chapman said, particularly with the new windows and electrical switchgear. A series of break-ins at the construction site in August also threatened to further delay progress, with the suspects breaking windows and taking copper wire and other building materials from the site.
Chapman said the break-ins have stopped since August thanks to increased police patrols, private security and assistance from the neighborhood watch group.
Even with delays there’s been a significant amount of progress at the campus, Chapman said. Aside from the new roof, energy efficient windows were installed in July, and bleachers for the gymnasium, which had several aesthetic upgrades, should arrive next month. New flooring, new sidewalks and new stage curtains are all in the works too.
“Looking ahead, we still need to address several key areas before December, including finalizing interior finishes, installing HVAC systems, kitchen equipment, landscaping and completing safety inspections,” Chapman said. “Our team is working diligently to ensure that all necessary work is completed on schedule, and we are committed to keeping the timeline on track.”
Once the Black high school during segregation, Hunt housed CMSD’s alternative school and the R.E. Hunt Museum of local African American history. Once it reopens, it will be the primary campus for CMSD sixth-graders. The museum will also return.
When the students will relocate to the school is still unclear. Chapman said the exact timeline is still being discussed.
“We are currently focused on ensuring that the building is fully completed and ready for occupancy before determining the best time to move students in,” he said. “Our goal is to maximize the school’s capacity while also being considerate of our teachers and administrators.”
Cynthia Brown, president for the CMSD board of trustees, said the board is still considering the best time to relocate students without negatively affecting their learning. While the goal was originally December, she said it may be easier for students to transition after the school year is over rather than in the middle of it.
“I think that a transition in the middle of the year like that … may affect the children and their testing and all of that steady focus that they have right now,” Brown told The Dispatch on Thursday.
Future programming and grade span consolidation
When discussions about future programming at Hunt began in 2020, the district considered opening the school with a focus on workforce development, including specialized training and adult education classes.
While Chapman called the old plans “promising,” he said focus has instead shifted toward exploring programming that will align more closely with students’ current needs and challenges, he said.
One possibility is renewing a memorandum of understanding with Mississippi University for Women for education students to teach at the school. Chapman said the district is currently looking into reinstating that partnership.
“This partnership can create a supportive learning environment for both the MUW students and our own students, fostering mentorship and hands-on experience in the classroom,” he said.
Brown said moving sixth grade students to Hunt after the renovations will help usher the district along in its strategic plan through 2027. The plan includes transitioning the district to a grade span model, meaning each campus would house certain grades, as opposed to the current magnet program.
“Maybe (Hunt) will be the piece that would allow us to move further and closer to the direction of getting our schools to grade span,” Brown said. “(It) would allow the teachers of all grades to be together. That should build stronger relationships with the teachers, so that they can be strong in teaching our children.”
McRae is a general assignment and education reporter for The Dispatch.
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