Major General James G. Blunt

West Side High School is a comprehensive public high school located in the rural, distant community of Greers Ferry, Arkansas, United States. The high school provides secondary education for students in grades 7 through 12 for more than 147.81 square miles (382.8 km²) of land that includes all or portions of Cleburne County and Van Buren County communities including: Higden, Bee Branch, Quitman, Heber Springs, Prim, Edgemont, Shirley, Fairfield Bay, Greers Ferry, and Drasco.

History

Established in 1949, West Side High School was founded for students in grades 9 through 12. Two years later in 1951, the district expanded the campus for grades 1 through 8. Seven students are members of the first graduating class. In 1956, a gymnasium was built and used for the school's indoor sports and for large events until the newly constructed gym was built in 2009. In 1961, the school's library opened and by 1965 enrollment had reached more than 300 students. In 1973, the girls' basketball program was started by coach Eddy Hipp who remained with the school until retirement in 2004 leading the Lady Eagles to a 735–287 record during that time. Enrollment continued to increase throughout the years with more than 450 students by 1980 and more than 500 students by 2005. In 2011, the district constructed and opened new baseball and softball fields.^[2]

Academics

West Side High School is accredited by the Arkansas Department of Education (ADE) and the assumed course of study follows the Smart Core curriculum developed by the ADE, which requires students complete at least 22 units prior to graduation. Students complete regular (core and elective) and career focus courses and exams and may take Advanced Placement (AP) courses and exam with the opportunity to receive college credit. West Side receives Title I federal funding.^[1]

West Side is one of twenty high schools to be recognized with the 2012 College Readiness Award by the Arkansas ACT Council in recognition of improving the participation rate of students taking the ACT college readiness exam.^[3]

Athletics

The West Side High School mascot and athletic emblem is the Eagle with green and white serving as the school colors.

The West Side Eagles compete in interscholastic activities within the 1A Classification—the state's smallest classification—from the 1A 2 South Conference, as administered by the Arkansas Activities Association. The Eagles participate in golf (boys/girls), cross country (boys/girls), basketball (boys/girls), baseball, fastpitch softball, tennis (boys/girls) and cheer.^[4]

Beyond conference, district and regional championships, West Side Eagle teams have won state championships including:^[2]