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In the late 50's, much of the farmland in Northwest Boise
was subdivided, and new neighborhoods appeared where none had
been before. Students from these new homes attended North Junior
High for a time, but the need for a new junior high school
became paramount in 1960, when construction began on a new
school adjacent to the foothills in this area. Hillside Junior
High School opened in 1961; its setting is among the most attractive
in the District, with the Boise Front mountains silhouetted
in the background behind the school.
Hillside had over 600 students on opening day, but the school
had not yet been completed, and some classes met in the cafeteria.
The school population continued to grow and in 1968-69 fifteen
classrooms were added to the school. The school is built around
a courtyard which is used during the fall and spring as an
outside classroom.
In the early 90's, growth in Northwest Boise caused the population
of Hillside to swell. By 1995, over 900 students were enrolled,
and portable classrooms dotted the land surrounding the school.
Passage of a bond issue in February, 1996 allowed for the construction
of a new junior high school on Gary Lane, Riverglen Junior
High, several miles west of Hillside. This resulted in the
reduction of the student body to a
population of approximately 450. This has resulted in the removal
of all but four of the portables. This has also alleviated
serious
crowding in the hallways and cafeteria. The staffing has also
undergone modification, with a number of them now teaching
at Riverglen. |