Palmer High School set for $100 million in renovations

(COLORADO SPRINGS)– Colorado Springs School District 11 (D11) is making big upgrades to Palmer High School, but before the work begins, the district is asking the community for input.

Palmer High School was first built in 1875, making it the oldest school in Colorado Springs.
It’s an historic landmark in the city, and it’s set to undergo a transformation that honors its legacy while preparing it for the future.

“I think we definitely need air conditioning, we are in these classrooms 140 minutes every day, and they get really hot really quick,” said Darnell Robinson, a junior student ambassador for Palmer High School.

In 2025, Colorado Springs’ oldest high school will undergo $100 million worth of renovations, but before they break ground, the school system is seeking community input, so a town hall was held on Monday, Sept. 9 to gather the kind of community response the district seeks.

“We also need more lighting, the classrooms do tend to get dark, gloomy, and boring at times. To be honest, it’s hard for us to stay awake at those moments, so that natural lighting would play a huge part in it,” said Robinson.

Organizers of Monday’s town hall say they want to “open the door” for ideas and make sure the project is what people want.

“This is an opportunity for the community to provide that feedback to us and for us to use this as an opportunity to revitalize the downtown high school,” said Parph Melpakam, a board member for D11.

However, not everyone is happy about the change.

“I’m really concerned that the district is not being transparent with what they want to do with the three properties that make up Palmer,” said Dorian Lee, a 1977 Palmer High Alum.

Lee is worried some traditions will be forgotten in the renovation.

“The district had come and discussed to student council that it was a possibility to sell the field and the big gym down there that contains the swimming pool, it has the big track. That’s where all the sports take place, and if that gets sold, it’s gone forever,” said Lee.

Since opening in 1875, there have been families with up to five generations of students walking through Palmer’s halls.

“When I began my sophomore year, we had a marching band that had over 200 people in it, and we would walk down to the big field. We would practice there under the direction of an amazing band director, and we won state,” she added.

Pride runs deep at Palmer, and the first lesson freshman students learn is Palmer High’s history, from its founding, to the fire that took down the building in 1890, and the history behind the school’s aesthetic.

“I just know that that lesson helps us incorporate what the history around Palmer is,” added Robinson.

The bell from the original building remains intact and is currently in the school’s courtyard. Students get to ring the bell as a freshman and as a senior.

“Ringing that bell means that that is your day that you become a teacher, like you are officially a part of the Terror community, and I think it’s something that’s forever memorable,” he added.

D11 said it is planning to begin renovations in the fall of 2025. If you missed Monday’s meeting, you can offer your input on the D11 website or attend the next Town Hall event.

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