Natchitoches Central High School

Natchitoches Central High School is a public high school in Natchitoches, Louisiana, United States. It is a part of the Natchitoches Parish School Board.

Natchitoches Central High School
Building of Natchitoches Central High School in November 8, 2016
Address
6513 Highway 1 South Bypass Natchitoches , Louisiana 71457 United States
Coordinates	31°44′44″N 93°6′30″W
Information
Type	Public
School district	Natchitoches Parish School Board
Principal	Bill Gordy
Grades	9-12
Number of students	1200+
Color(s)	Maroon, Gold, and White
Athletics	Louisiana High School Athletic Association
Athletics conference	District 2-5A
Mascot	Chief
Newspaper	The Chieftain
Yearbook	The Chinquapin
Website	School website

The development of Natchitoches Central High School, like so many schools in the 1960s and early 1970s, began with Federal Court orders to desegregate the two major existing high schools in the city of Natchitoches. To insure smooth transition, the faculties of both Central High School and Natchitoches High School attended a workshop at Northwestern State University to develop curricula, attitudes, and the necessary internal organizations to promote the total school.

The Natchitoches Parish School System was placed under another court order in 1981 to further desegregate its schools. This led to massive consolidation and assigned 10th through 12th grade students from Natchitoches, Allen, Provencal, Marthaville, and Robeline into the new Natchitoches Central High School facility. Ninth grade students were housed at a nearby facility named Natchitoches Ninth Grade Center and operated under a separate administration. Cooperative planning, with reorganization of scheduling and curriculum, was necessary to insure a smooth transition of faculties, students, and communities into the new educational endeavor.

In 1989, Cloutierville High School was closed and those students were assigned to Natchitoches Central High School.

In November 1992, Natchitoches Central High School was one of five Louisiana public high schools nominated for the Blue Ribbon Schools Excellence in Education Award in a national program sponsored by the United States Department of Education.

Major reconstruction began on the facility in 1998 and 24 new rooms were added to the building. The beginning of the 2000 school year marked the consolidation of Natchitoches Central and the Ninth Grade Center and began a new phase in the history of this school.

The Chief is the school mascot, and the school colors are maroon, gold, and white. School publications include a newspaper, The Chieftain, and the yearbook, The Chinquapin.

Natchitoches Central High School Principals (since moving into the current facilities): Derwood Duke (1981-1988) Lester Lee (1988-1990) Julio C. Toro (1990-1999) Ronnie Waites (1999-2006) David Elkins (2006-2010) Dale Skinner (2010-2014) Bill Gordy (2014–present)