Lubbock-Cooper ISD welcoming students into new high school on Wednesday

LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) - Lubbock-Cooper ISD will welcome students into a new high school on Wednesday for the 2023-2024 academic year. The idea started in 2018 and construction has been in-progress for two years.

The superintendent of Lubbock-Cooper ISD, Keith Bryant, said he is excited for the big things that are happening for the district.

“It’s been a long process, a process that we’re excited beyond belief about to be at this point,” Bryant said.

Freshman and Sophomore Lubbock-Cooper Patriots will walk the halls of Liberty High School on Woodrow Road and Quaker Avenue, signaling the start of something new. Bryant said he can tell students are excited as they tour for orientation.

“What I’ve seen so far is jaw dropping, smiles everywhere,” Bryant said.

Both campuses are Lubbock-Cooper high schools, but they look a little different. Bryant said the design at Liberty is a new concept.

“A lot of open area seating, a lot of opportunity for collaboration to occur, a lot of opportunity for kids to have good access to all the programs they want to be involved in,” Bryant said.

That design also gives a nod to American history. Bryant told KCBD everything from the banners on the wall to the layout of the building is patriotic.

“Even the sides of the building,” Bryant said. “The west side of the building is the Pacific side, the East side that will be built behind us is the Atlantic side.”

While there are two different high school campuses, Bryant said Lubbock-Cooper is one big family. If you walk into the schools the big red LCP is there to prove it at every campus.

“Our district has decided that even though we have multiple campuses, multiple high schools, multiple middle schools, the red LCP is what binds us together,” Bryant said.

Those separate campuses are designed to make students feel closer, with things like smaller class sizes.

“If a high school gets too big, then you lose the personal relationship and connection you have with the kids and so I think Liberty does that,” Bryant said.

Bryant said building Liberty High School provides more opportunities for students, either as Patriots or Pirates.

“You can have two point guards in basketball, you can have two student council presidents,” Bryant said. “You just have more opportunities for kids to be involved and engaged.”

Liberty High School is 60% complete. The fine arts, gyms and career and technical education areas will be finished in the next two years.

The original high school also got an upgrade. The Lubbock-Cooper Pirates can expect updates to classrooms, and for the office, social and common areas to be completed in the coming weeks.

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