A high school that teaches students who want to have a skill so they can have a job after graduation is going to be shifted from the former Rocky Mount High School campus just west of downtown to Nash Community College, effective this fall semester.
NCC President Lew Hunnicutt made the announcement of the planned relocation of CITI High School during an extensive annual presentation about the college campus to the Rocky Mount Rotary Club at its weekly luncheon Tuesday.
CITI stands for the Center for Industry, Technology & Innovation. CITI High students are dually enrolled in high school in the Nash County Public Schools system and at the community college.
Hunnicutt told the Rotarians, “We’ve been unable to grow CITI High at the old high school site, not because of anything wrong with the building, but it is not perceived as being the best part of town anymore.” CITI High is off Hammond Street and there are houses adjacent to its campus that are either abandoned or in rough condition.
Hunnicutt also told the Rotarians in his 4½ years as the community college’s president that parents have told him that if CITI High was on NCC’s campus, then, “I would send my kid right now.”
Students at CITI High can be trained in automotive systems technology, hospitality management, industrial systems technology, information systems technology or medical office administration.
Additionally, the demerger, which will take full effect this fall, means that Nash County Public Schools will no longer be serving students living on the Edgecombe County side of Rocky Mount. Those students are going to be served by the Edgecombe County Public Schools system.
Hunnicutt emphasized that any innovative high school can serve 500 students and that an early college high school, which is also on NCC’s campus, has about 420 students.
The early college enables high school students in the Nash County Public Schools system to earn an associate degree while completing high school. Those college credits can transfer to a four-year university for students who want to further their education after graduating and pursue a bachelor’s degree.
Hunnicutt told the Rotarians that CITI High has about 75 to 90 students at the Hammond Street location and that he believes CITI High’s enrollment should be in the hundreds.
Hunnicutt has maintained that he wants NCC to have a regional workforce training center on the community college’s campus as well.
He has said that what he envisions would consist of eight 5,000-square-foot laboratories, each with an overhead door at one end and open spaces that NCC could use in whatever capacity is needed.
The workforce training center could open up additional lab space that could be used at night by the community college and that the labs could be used in the daytime by CITI High students, Hunnicutt has said.
In an interview after speaking to the Rotarians, Hunnicutt said that CITI High for the time being is going to be based in Building D and on the floor above the community college’s nursing department.
“And quite frankly, we do not have the room for it,” Hunnicutt said. “So, we’re all going to tighten our belts, figure out how to get it on campus.”
Hunnicutt said that he asked the state to choose to consider one of two permanent options: Having a new building; or having the regional workforce training center to include serving as classrooms for CITI High.
Nash County Public Schools also made the announcement of the relocation of CITI High in a news release Thursday, with the school system saying the move would bring a wealth of opportunities for CITI High students, faculty and staff.
“With state-of-the-art facilities and a supportive learning environment, this relocation aims to enhance the overall educational experience for all members of the school community,” the news release stated.
Nash County Public Schools Superintendent Steve Ellis, in prepared remarks as part of the news release, said that this collaboration represents a wonderful opportunity for students to access high-quality education in a dynamic learning environment.
“We look forward to seeing the positive impact this relocation will have on our students’ academic journey,” he said.
CITI High Principal Kimberly Rascoe, in prepared remarks as part of the news release, was upbeat as well.
“I am confident that this move will create new opportunities for growth, collaboration and academic success for our students,” Rascoe said.
The news release did not indicate what the plans are for the current CITI High location after the shift is made to the community college campus.
CITI High is still accepting applications for the 2024-25 school year, and applications can be found on ncpschools.net by clicking on CITI High School Application. Also, Nash County school officials said that in the coming months, more information about the relocation, including timelines and logistical details, will be communicated to students, families and staff.
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