Science Hill High School is a high school (grades 8-12) in Johnson City, Tennessee with an enrollment of approximately 2600 students. The school is split over four campuses: 10-12 Campus, 8-9 Campus, Technical Center Campus, & Alternative School Campus. The school also shares space with Freedom Hall Civic Center. The school site also includes tennis courts, baseball fields, soccer field, & track facilities. The school administration consists of one principal, one associate principal, five assistant principals, one vocational school director, and one athletic director. The school has approximately one hundred eighty (180) teachers. Science Hill High School has a proud tradition in offering Advanced Placement (AP) courses. Also, beginning in the 2008-2009 school year, Science Hill will begin the Tri-Cities second International Baccalaureate (IB) Program. Their mascot is the Hilltopper, an anthropomorphic top hat.
Science Hill High School is located in Johnson City, Tennessee. It originally opened as the Science Hill Male and Female Institute in 1867. The first building was erected on land by Tipton Jobe; labor and materials were furnished by individual citizens. The first session in this building began August 24, 1868. The Rev. John B. Pence was principal. The town at that time was unincorporated and known as Johnson's Depot. It was incorporated in 1869 under its present name. Science Hill has the distinction of being the first purely private corporation in Johnson City, Tennessee. On January 20, 1880, a charter was granted to Science Hill. It was first operated as a private school and later taken over as a free public school. In 1889, the school was organized into a graded system. The students of the school were cared for in the year 1911-1912 and 1912-1913 by the East Tennessee State Normal School, which opened for the students on October 10, 1911. The present campus-style plant was occupied in 1961. In 1971, a Technology Center was added to the campus. This center provides technical and vocational training for the high school students and adult students from the community. In 1988, a construction program was completed to accommodate the addition of the ninth grade students. An additional building program was completed in late 1997 to meet the demands of a growing student population. This addition included eleven classrooms and an expansion of the library, cafeteria, and Fine Arts area. The opening of the 1998/1999 school year began a new chapter in the history of Science Hill High School with the addition of the eighth grade. The current configuration includes grades 10-12 on the main campus and grades 8-9 on the former Liberty Bell Middle School campus. The reason for this move was due to overcrowding in the main building. The former Henry Johnson School also serves as a fourth campus for Science Hill High School. This building now houses the school's Alternative Center.
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