For the past six years, BHS students have been going to school in an old Macy’s. They have attended class in makeshift classrooms, walked up and down broken escalators, and had PE in an office-turned-into-a weight room. Going to PE class in a mall is strange. Because there isn’t enough space in the repurposed office, the class is split into two: half stay in the weight room playing basketball, lifting weights, or talking with friends, while the other half walks to the YMCA, Edmunds Middle School, or another empty classroom to play ping pong.

All of this is about to change as BHS moves into a new building with a lot of new changes for PE and athletics.

The new building’s sports setup is basically split into two separate zones: a massive 12,000-square-foot space just for students and a 5,500 square foot space for the community to use after hours. The student gym even contains a flexible 3-stage gymnasium so that they can easily shift it around for different sports or events being held. In addition, there will be an expanded weight room.

“We have so many different spaces,” PE teacher Sabrina Butterfield said. “I think there are a lot more opportunities, especially for the PE department.”

In the past, if students were late to a PE class going out of the building, they weren’t allowed to leave and would have to spend their time in the library instead of exercising.  

“It wasn’t accessible to everyone,” Butterfield said. “So that was a huge issue.” 

In addition to the indoor spaces, Butterfield said they have outside facilities including North Beach where students can use kayaks, canoes and paddleboards, a small pond across the street for ice skating in the winter and even a space for archery.

“There are a lot of exciting things that we’ll be able to offer,” Butterfield said.

Head of Athletics Quaron Pickney said the new school is going to be more efficient because the 16 boys’ and girls’ varsity programs will have multiple courts where teams can play at the same time. 

“I think that’s going to be the biggest thing, you know, being able to have practices earlier than when we have a six o’clock game or a night game, you’ll know your practice will be done, and then you can even go get something to eat, come back, enjoy the game,” Pickney said.

Michee Kasongo ‘27 is on the varsity basketball team and he thinks his team will be more successful next year due to the new facilities. 

“It’s [was] definitely different, having to adjust to all the different courts we practiced at, like UVM, Champlain Elementary, Edmunds, like all those different courts. It was definitely a struggle having to adjust to how different the courts are.”

Pickney said he believes having the new gym will also create more support and more of a community in Burlington. 

Principal Sabrina Westdijk agrees. 

“[The new space will] automatically boost attendance at home games,” Westdijk said. “I think I’ll be able to see a lot more games on the new campus, and I suspect that will be true for a lot of students and staff, too.”

Keola Bennett Jones ‘27 is one of those students who plan on going to more events.

“I want more community, and I feel like in the new building it gives more opportunities for new connections with people, and more space for those connections,” Jones said.

Jones said she is excited about the “fully-appointed” dance studio. She is currently on the combined BHS and South Burlington dance team.

“I feel like everyone’s going to want to be more involved, because a new high school will just make you want to show out,” Jones said. “I feel like it’s gonna make people want to go to more events, and do more things to bring up the school spirit.”

BHS has not been able to have a traditional pep rally in the mall, but the Administration has tried to create community in the past by taking the whole school to the Flynn or having gatherings on the roof of the garage. 

“With a fantastic sound system, the new gym will make it easy to hear student speakers, coaches and music,” Westdijk said. 

Westdijk said they are currently planning on bringing back old traditions and talking with the student government and faculty to think of ways to create new ones.