The west side of the athletic wing of the new Hays High School can be seen from what will be a turfed soccer field. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post
By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post
The new Hays High School building project is progressing with an opening set for August.
The high school is the most signficant of multiple projects being paid for with a $145 million bond issue.
The current Hays High School will be converted to a middle school with middle school students set to move to their new home in January 2026.
A soccer field that is soon to be turfed. In the distance you can see the current Hays High and green house. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post
The Hays High principal and Hays USD 489 superintent March 13 took a group of loacl relators and a repoter from the Hays Post through the high school construction zone.
"Student collaborative areas, everything is intentional for teaching and learning to blend and combine and bring in career and technical ed and make it all quite visible," Shawn Henderson, Hays High principal, said.
There are rooms for student collaboration throughout the building. Teachers will not be assigned a classroom, but there are teacher collaborative spaces in each of the learning pods. This gives the school more flexibility and maximizes space. Teachers can plan in the collaborative space instead of occupying a classroom.
Construction workers are working in the area that will be a new turfed soccer field. To the right will be a walkway that will connect with what will remain of the current student parking on the west side of the current high school. The greenhouse is going to remain in its current location, but ag students will be able to access it from a short walkway from the athletic wing of the new high school. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post
Hays USD 489 Superintendent Ron Wilson told the group the school is being branded in multiple places with the word "Hays," not only to encourgage student pride in their school but their community, which hopefully they will want to live and work in after they complete their education.
The main gym from the upper deck. The new gym will be able to accommodate 2,077 people. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post
Henderson said he foresees the school opening the upstairs track for community members to walk during the day.
The auxillary gym under construction at the new Hays High School site. It will accommodate 500 fans. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays PostThe second floor of the HHS weight room. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays PostA view of Hays High School's new football field as seen from the upper floor weight room. What will be the new student parking lot can be seen in the distance to the southwest of the building. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post
Henderson said many community members have expressed concerns about traffic at the new campus. The start times for the two schools will be offset by 10 minutes.
Hays High has never hosted a home football game. They will be able to do that in the new stadium. All of their games have been planned at Fort Hays State University's Lewis Field, Henderson said.
The windows for the Hays High commons curve around the new football field. The English, language, art and performing arts wing can be seen in the distance. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays PostLooking south out of a second floor window of the weight room, you can see where the new Hays High press box will be. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays PostThe food servery for the new High School. Students will eat lunch in the new commons. There also will be an outdoor seating area where students can eat during nice weather. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post
Not pictured is a culinary kitchen for students to learn food service skills, a family and consumer science classroom, and a small playground for students who are interacting with small children during child development classes.
Private restrooms in the new Hays High School. Doors have yet to be installed. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays PostPrivate restrooms in the new Hays High School. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post
Subjects similar to math, science, English and arts are grouped together to allow for teacher collaboration.
HHS Principal Shawn Henderson discusses a science lab in the new Hays High School. The student work stations will be chemical resistant and on casters and can be pushed into the wall when students are working on labs. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays PostFour new tennis courts will be added at Hays High School with capital outlay funds. The existing four courts will be reconditioned. The new facilities will allow the school to host tournaments. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays PostHHS Principal Shawn Henderson discusses Hays High's new video studio with a tour group. Students will be able to produce videos for the football and basketball video boards in the studio. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays PostHHS Principal Shawn Henderson in the HHS hospitality room, which will have a wall of windows that look out over the new football stadium. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays PostA view of the Hays High commons from the second floor pedestrian bridge. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays PostThe Hays High commons and pedestrian bridge looking east. The railing that will be installed the length of the bridge can be seen in the foreground. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays PostThe learning stairs that are in the new Hays High commons. Students can gather here to study, eat lunch or for class presentations. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays PostView of the new Hays High School football field from the pedestrian bridge in the commons. Turfing of the field will begin soon. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays PostA view of the student entrance of the new Hays High School from the upper deck of commons pedestrian bridge. Most of the student parking will now be on this side of the school. The office can be seen on the lower floor to the left. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays PostA view of the Hays High athletic wing from the commons. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays PostThe Hays High band room has a door that will allow the marching band to go directly onto the football field. Private contributions also supported practice rooms and instrument storage. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays PostAn art room at the new Hays High School building. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post
The Hays High students will go from classrooms of about 600 square feet to 900 square feet. The remodel at the current high school will convert three rooms into two. The current middle school has rooms of about 750 square feet. The remodeled building will have 950-square-foot rooms.
HHS Principal Shawn Henderson in the language arts rooms. The two rooms, which will be for German and Spanish, will be divided by a partion and can be opened into one room. Off of each room is a small kitchenette so the students can learn about the cuisine of other cultures. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays PostThe auditorium of the high school looking into the seating area from the stage. The new facility will accommodate 800 audience members. The current high school does not have an auditorium. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post
There is also a scene shop and dressing room off of the auditorium.
The new Hays High School commons looking west. The learning stairs can be seen in the background. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post
