Central Junior High, which is just south of Lawrence’s downtown at 14th and Massachusetts, got its start as the city’s post-World War I high school.

The building, constructed in 1923, served as Liberty Memorial High School until 1955, when the main Lawrence High School’s campus was finished.

An addition was made to the east side of the building in 1954, providing a gymnasium and music facilities as it became Lawrence Junior High School.

By the spring of 1960, LJHS’s enrollment had skyrocketed to 1,242. That fall a new junior high, known as West Junior High, was completed. To avoid confusion, LJHS was renamed Central Junior High School.

Enrollment and socioeconomic mix

In fall 2004, Central had an enrollment of 492 students in grades seven (168 students), eight (176) and nine (148), making it the smallest of the city’s four junior high schools.

Its boundaries encompass most of the city north of 23rd Street and east of Naismith Drive and the Kansas University main campus.

The Kansas State Board of Education Report Card includes the socioeconomic mix of all schools.

It reports that 47.75 percent of Central’s students are economically disadvantaged.

Central Junior High1400 MassachusettsLawrence, KS 66044-3432Phone number: 785-832-5400School Web site:schools.usd497.org/cjhs

• 360 Photo: Hallway

Here is the school’s ethnicity breakdown: white, 67.01 percent; African American, 19.06 percent; Hispanic, 4.51 percent; other, 9.43 percent.

Reading scores

According to the state’s latest report card for Central, eighth-grade students showed a decline in reading assessments over the previous year’s students.

Central students scored lower than their peers in the district and in the state on the eighth-grade reading assessments.

The percentage of the school’s eighth-graders who were “proficient,” “advanced,” or “exemplary” in reading increased from 58.6 percent to 62 percent on the state test.

The Lawrence district’s overall reading score for eighth-graders showed that 73.8 percent were either proficent, advanced or exemplary in reading. The overall state score was 75.1 percent for those categories.

Math scores

The State Report Card also shows Central’s seventh-graders scored lower on the state math assessments than their peers at the district and state levels.

Central’s seventh-graders tested in math showed an increase from 45.3 percent in 2003 to 66.6 percent in 2004 for students scoring at either “proficient,” “advanced” or “exemplary levels.”

That compared with 72.1 percent for the entire district and 64.8 percent for the state.

Sports

The city’s four junior highs offer the following sports: boys basketball, girls basketball, cheerleading, football, boys tennis, girls tennis, track, volleyball and wrestling.

High school sports offered at Lawrence’s two high schools are as follows: bowling (new this year), boys baseball, boys basketball, girls basketball, cheerleading, cross country, football, girls golf, boys golf, girls gymnastics, boys soccer, girls soccer, girls softball, boys swimming, girls swimming, boys tennis, girls tennis, track, volleyball and wrestling.

Staffing

The school’s staff includes a total of 88 teachers and support staff.

In 1999, Michel Loomis won the district’s Teacher of the Year award.

In 2002, Chip Anderson, who is now at LHS, won a Bob’s Award, which is a special community award for excellence in teaching.

Frank Harwood replaced Ted Juneau as principal of Central Junior High in 2005. Harwood came to Lawrence after being an administrator in Leavenworth. Juneau, who had been Central’s principal since 1994, retired at the end of the academic year.

All the junior highs begin classes at 8:08 a.m. and end at 3 p.m.

To arrange a visit to Central, call 785-832-5400.