A new school year and a new address for some students in West Point

WEST POINT, Miss. (WCBI) – It’s back to school time across North Mississippi.

The first day kicks off Tuesday, in West Point, and for some of those students, faculty and staff, the new school year comes with changes.

Some grade levels will be in different buildings this year, but the change isn’t completely new for the district.

Fifth and sixth graders will no longer start their first day of school in this building.

Structural issues caused the doors to close, leading to a change of address.

West Point High School’s North Campus building will be home to twice as many students this year.

“With the re-configuring of our schools, our high school will now be 8th through 12th grade. In that building last year, we housed 9th graders and this year, we’re adding the 8th graders,” says West Point High School North Campus Principal, Wynesther Cousins.

This will be Cousins’ 7th year in administration, but her first year having both grades together in this building.

“I do think it’s a good move having all of the, having those two grades together. I think it will lead to a smooth transition.”

Since about 200 8th graders are moving out of the Fifth Street School building, 5th, 6th, and 7th graders will now all be housed together.

“Oh, it’s going to work out fine. It’s a big opportunity for me. I’ve never been an elementary principal before, I’ve always been in secondary, so I’m really looking forward to the opportunity, actually,” says  Fifth Street School Principal, Richard Bryant

Bryant says the biggest change with everything is the staff at Fifth Street.

“We lost about half of our staff or they transferred to the high school and then transferred most of Central staff to Fifth Street.

Structural issues were discovered at the Central School this past April.