Construction of a new Pipkin Middle School is one step closer to becoming a reality. On Jan. 21, Springfield Public Schools closed on the 8.86-acre property previously owned by The General Council of the Assemblies of God. The closing comes after a 180-day period of due diligence, which allowed SPS to fully assess the site and complete other necessary requirements prior to development.
“We are pleased that we have achieved this important milestone and are positioned to move forward with building a new middle school for students in midtown Springfield,” said Dr. Grenita Lathan, superintendent. “Our community was committed to keeping Pipkin as close to its current location as possible. Residents will soon start to see visible signs of progress.”
The property, located only a quarter of a mile from the current Pipkin location, is bordered by West Division Street on the north, West Lynn Street on the south and North Campbell Avenue on the east.
The current Pipkin facility, which opened in 1925, has the lowest condition score of any SPS building. Plumbing, electrical and other infrastructure challenges pose significant barriers. Staff and students currently load and unload from buses and vehicles along busy Boonville Avenue. Pipkin’s current footprint crowds a small parcel of land with limited space for parking and outdoor activities.
A new Pipkin, built on a different location, will address existing challenges while also boosting interest in the school’s unique programming. Pipkin is home to the International Baccalaureate (IB) Middle Years Programme. SPS is an open-enrollment district with a strong interest in the IB curriculum across all grade levels. Boyd, Field and Rountree elementary schools are home to the IB Primary Years Programme. Students are then able to experience the IB continuum at Pipkin and Central High School.
Demolition of existing structures on the property should begin in March and construction of the new school is expected to be complete in 2027.
In March 2024, the Board of Education unanimously approved purchasing the property, following a lengthy search for a suitable parcel of land large enough to accommodate a modern middle school campus near the heart of the Pipkin community.
The purchase of the property and construction of the new middle school is funded by Proposition S, which voters authorized in April 2023 with a 77.67% approval rate.
“Moving forward at this location honors the feedback we received from Pipkin parents and other community members and fits with the recommendations made by the Community Task Force on Facilities,” Dr. Lathan explained.
“This will be an exciting new era for Pipkin Middle School and our community,” said Duane Cox, principal. “Our students, staff and parents are eager to watch the progress of their new school home as it is constructed over the next two years.”