On Thursday, July 23, 2026, Jefferson County Public Schools officially cut the ribbon on the new W.E.B. DuBois Academy campus, a roughly $62 million, three-story facility built for students in grades 6 through 12. The new building brings the academy’s middle and high school programs under one roof and will serve as the school’s home for the 2026–27 year. Students, staff and district leaders turned out for a media tour and ceremony that capped several years of planning and construction.
Photos and captions from The Courier-Journal show off new band and art rooms, a cafeteria, stadium seating and a hydroponics classroom intended for science and career-tech instruction. The outlet also noted that Superintendent Dr. Brian Yearwood and Principal Dr. Monica Hunter-Kirby handled the ribbon cutting, with two students holding the ceremonial ribbon as officials gave local reporters their first look inside the finished spaces.
Built Around Career Tech, Arts and Athletics
The 185,000-square-foot campus includes about 65 classrooms, two gyms (one that doubles as a storm shelter), geothermal heating and other energy-efficient systems, plus a new turf field with stadium seating and a press box, as reported by WDRB. JCPS materials and the school’s live feed highlight specialized career and technical education spaces, music and art suites, and the new campus address at 4929 Poplar Level Road, per JCPS. District planners say the floors are arranged to separate middle and high school wings while keeping shared areas for hands-on learning and extracurriculars.
Why the Campus Matters
District leaders have framed the project as part of a broader commitment to racial equity and to providing Black boys with a culturally responsive learning environment, in line with the academy’s Afrocentric mission. Coverage during the ground-breaking and construction phases tracked that goal and reported that the campus is sized to accommodate about 1,000 students, as noted by WLKY. Supporters say the larger, modern facility will expand STEM, arts and college-and-career pathways while easing long-standing space constraints at older sites.
What Families Should Know
JCPS says the new campus will begin serving students for the 2026–27 school year, and families are being urged to watch district and school communication channels for details on enrollment, transportation and uniforms. The principal’s newsletter and live feed already reference the new home and note a bus-tracking rollout for families ahead of the fall, per JCPS. School leaders have thanked community partners for helping bring the long-planned project to the finish line and say the building is intended as a long-term investment in both student opportunities and neighborhood infrastructure.
