Douglass High School Renovation

Douglass High School is Columbia Public School’s alternative high school, the primary purpose of which is to engage at-risk students so they can complete high school and successfully transition into productive post-secondary occupations. The school, named for abolitionist Frederick Douglass, opened its doors around 1885 and served as the district’s all-black school until 1954. In 2012, CPS decided that the 100+-year-old school required a major renovation if it was to continue to serve the needs of students. Their goal was to create a variety of effective learning environments at the school in an effort to meet the needs of those students who function more effectively in a non-traditional setting.

In 2014, Columbia passed a $50 million bond issue to fund this and other projects throughout the district. In 2016, the building was closed for a year, and students relocated to a temporary space while construction crews gutted most of the building, and installed new electrical, heating, and air conditioning systems, stair lifts, and flooring. The subsequent renovations added space and equipment for a culinary program and wood and metal shop and stocked the physics and biology classrooms with new equipment and furniture. Because of the building’s age, there were unexpected infrastructure challenges that the design and construction needed to address including asbestos abatement. While most of the building’s interior is new, CPS opted to repair rather than replace some items with historical significance. Contractors worked around student artwork and repaired plaster walls, and the building’s front steps.

Now that the renovation project is complete, CPS Superintendent Peter Stiepleman said, “The district sees Douglass as a place where students who struggle with a traditional school can be successful.  The renovations will help the school accomplish that goal.”