By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
The renovated Hays Middle School opened to students on Wednesday.
Students and their parents toured the school on Tuesday night.
Principal Tom Albers told the students and parents on Tuesday that the renovation project of the former high school, 2300 E. 13th, is about 58% complete.
More work will be done this summer and likely next summer.
"There is a lot of walking in this school compared to what you are used to," Albers told the students. "You will be lost. But guess what, everyone, for the first time, will be lost. We are all lost together. You'll figure it out.
"Don't stress out. It'll all work out. I think you're going to like it."
Student drop-off will be on the west side of the building.
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Parents who spoke to the Hays Post on Tuesday night said they were excited about the opportunities the renovated school will provide students.
Students expressed mixed emotions. Some were excited about the new building, and others said they were nervous about navigating the larger school.
Tressidy Silva was visiting the school with her son, Matix, a seventh grader.
"I really like the school. I went here back in the day," she said. "[Matix] is excited for it. He is extremely jacked."
Matix said his first impression of the school was that it was big but nice.
"I'll get it figured out," he said.
Charlotte Mergen, seventh grader, said she was a little scared to start classes at the new school.
Her mother, Christy Mergen, said, "I'm excited for it. I think it's going to offer a lot of opportunities for the kids, a lot bigger and a lot more space for them to spread out and do some fun stuff."
William White, an eighth grader, was with his parents visiting the school on Tuesday night.
"I think it's a lot bigger than the old one," William said.
He said he did not feel intimidated by the larger school but thought it offered larger, better classrooms.
His mother, Tonya White, said, "I think it's great. They're getting moved in. It brings back memories for me. It is nice that they are somewhere bigger. It will be easier for them to move around."
Science teacher Scott Lindenmeyer said, "I think it's a great addition for our school because of the added space we have for our kids, extra gyms, larger hallways, larger classrooms."
"I think it is going to help our students be spaced apart, so it's not so cramped. I'm excited for just the space. It's going to be awesome."
The $6.1 million project included moving some classroom walls to create larger classrooms and adding collaboration rooms. New flooring was installed, lockers were painted and repaired, and other cosmetic improvements were done.
Additional boys' and girls' bathrooms were also added in the athletics wing.
The school has two gyms and a larger cafeteria compared to the former middle school.
Hays High students will still use the former high school wood shop. They will walk a short distance from the new high school to the former building for woods classes. The former ag classroom will be used as a lecture classroom space for the high school woods program.
The high school class is separated from the new middle school by a locked door accessible with a key card.
The former high school metals shop will become the middle school's new wood shop.
The two largest of the bond projects have been completed: an addition at Roosevelt Elementary School and construction of the new Hays High School.
Work is underway on an addition and renovation at O'Loughlin Elementary School.
Now that the middle school is vacant, it will be renovated into a four-section elementary school, Felten Elementary School, scheduled to open in fall 2026.
At that time, Wilson Elementary School will close as an elementary school, and the district plans to move administrative offices into the Wilson building.
The district plans to vacate the Rockwell Administration Center.