History of West Junior High

West Junior High was built in 1952-53 at 711 North Curtis Road with Federal funds from Public Law 815.  These funds were provided to districts that were impacted with students from people who worked in Federal entities.  

The area on the west bench had subdivisions after subdivisions in the 1950's. Landmarks gave way to modern shopping centers.  Perkins Store on Cole and Franklin, a familiar place to buy gas, groceries and livestock feed was such a landmark.

Even though West was located on Curtis Road, students came from west and south of the school before Fairmont was built in 1964.  

West has had several additions over the years.  In 1959, five classrooms and a locker room were added.  About ten years later in 1968, three more classrooms and a cafeteria were added to the school.  The year 1972 saw the addition of an arts and crafts building.  The growth of new programs and needed office space saw the construction in 1976 of a counselor's office and locker rooms.

West has always had a proud tradition in academics and extracurricular activities.  

The school is plagued with large gas storage tanks to the east and to the south.  Leakage from the tanks has caused great concern in the past by school officials, patrons, students and the gas companies in the 1980's.

Thanks to passage of a bond election in March of 2006, a new West Junior High School was built in southwest Boise at 8731 W. Salt Creek St, off of Victory Road.

Construction of the new West Junior High School was made possible thanks to the overwhelming support of voters who supported passage of a 94 million dollar bond to consolidate, renovate and rebuild a number of schools, including construction of the new West Jr. High School. The bond passed with 70.45% of the yes vote.  

The new school was built to serve 900+ students.  The new West opened in 2008-09 with forty-two (42) classrooms, including four science labs and other specialty uses. The new West is over 125,000 square feet that includes modern band and choir rooms, a modern library/media center with a large computer lab. A one-thousand (1000) seat performance gymnasium along with a multi-use practice gymnasium with Mondo flooring.

The thirty (30) acre developed site contains a track surrounding the performance football field.  The size also provides for two practice football fields, three softball field, one soccer field, five basketball courts, and four tennis courts.

Since 1953, West has continued to serve the Boise community by providing an excellent educational experience for its students.

Go Mustangs!