By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
As Hays USD 489 Superintendent Ron Wilson kicked off the groundbreaking for the new Hays High School Wednesday, he urged the children in the audience to capture the moment for their memories.
"If you can, I want to put this in your memory banks," Wilson said, "and remember this day. Someday when you're older and you have kids of your own, you're going to be able to share with them."
The event officially launched work on the almost $105 million, 226,000-square-foot building. The new HHS will be built on land already owned by the district adjacent to the existing high school on 13th Street.
Attendees were able to take virtual tours through the new school, which is set to open in fall 2025. They could also walk the floor plan and stand in the area where the main basketball court, commons or auditorium will eventually be.
The new high school is part of a $143.5 million bond issue passed in May 2022. It is the largest of the bond projects.
"A little over two years ago, we put together a plan that envisioned new and updated spaces for every student and every staff member in our schools and our district," Wilson said. ...
"The bond that we passed in May of 2022 was really about the value of our community and getting our community to understand the value of community growth," Wilson said, "competing with other communities to provide kids and families with the best future-forward learning space for every student in our schools."
He said the bond was passed because there are so many thoughtful people in the community who came together and united the community to rally behind the school bond.
"For those who supported and voted for the bond, thank you, thank you, thank you," Wilson said. "This is going to be a great opportunity for our community, for our kids, our students and everyone going forward."
HHS Principal Shawn Henderson said the new school will take advantage of light, open spaces, sound, collaboration areas, conference rooms and an auditorium with seats for 800 people.
Henderson said the plans were not thrust upon them but included collaboration from the community and district and the architects, DLR.
"I can't wait for move-in day," he said.
The new school will have a capacity of 1,200 students. Enrollment at the high school this fall is about 998 students.
"This is about the city of Hays," Ken Brooks, school board president, said. "This is about our students — every student, every day — and I am excited about the future for them."
Kirby Pennington, lead project architect, said she was impressed by the participation of 400 people, including staff members, faculty, administrators and community members in the build-a-bond exercise, which ultimately shaped the scope of the bond projects.
"Our role was not to dictate, but to empower your voices and hear your needs," she said. "It was truly awe-inspiring to see your community come together to pass a bond where one had not been passed in nearly three decades."
The new school will have an 800-seat, handicap-accessible performing arts center, a new gym and a large commons/cafeteria.
Classes will be separated into learning commons with large hallways with extra seating where students can work collaboratively.
Superintendent Ron Wilsons said collaborative areas are lacking in the existing high school. Students are often found sitting on the floor in hallways to work on group projects in the current high school.
Teachers will also have shared workspaces. This will allow classrooms to be used to capacity by allowing teachers to share classrooms more readily.
A new commons space will have large windows overlooking the new football field. The Hays High School football team will be able to truly have home football games. The district has been leasing Lewis Field from Fort Hays State University for years.
