Banks High School

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Banks Middle School (originally L. Frasier Banks High School) is a middle school in the Birmingham Public School System that feeds into Woodlawn High School. Banks occupies six buildings in a residential area on on 86th Street South in the South East Lake neighborhood. As of 2006 the school's enrollment is 482. The principal is Teresa Thomas.

The high school's first graduating class matriculated in 1961. In the early part of that decade, a U. S. Air Force F-86D "Sabre" [1] painted in the school colors of Columbia Blue and Scarlet was installed as a mascot and landmark in front of the school. The current principal is Jesse Daniel Jr.

In December 2000 a fire caused by arson caused extensive damage to the auditorium, destroying approximately $30,000 worth of band instruments which, because of ever-tightening public school budgets, have been only partially replaced. In February 2006, the South East Lake Neighborhood Association voted to appropriate $5,000 of their neighborhood funds to go toward new band instruments.

In October 2006 the Facilities and Technology Committee of the Birmingham Board of Education heard a recommendation from new superintendent of schools Stan Mims to close Banks and transfer its students to the new Ossie Ware Mitchell School which is being expanded for K-8. The recommendation would need to go through a process of community comment before being voted on by the board. If approved, the transfer could happen during the 2006 Christmas break.

Banks High School alumni

Reference

  • Jordan, Phillip. (March 23, 2006) "Hitting the right note: Can neighborhood associations help fill the funding gap for city schools?" Birmingham Weekly.

External links

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