Students and staff are now able to enjoy the first phase of a new high school after a ribbon cutting was held Aug. 13 for Hilton Head Island High School.
The new phase at the school consists of an $80 million, three-story building with a career and technology wing and close to double the classroom capacity. The project was funded through a 2023 voter-approved county bond referendum.
District leaders and many dignitaries from throughout the county participated in the ceremony welcoming a new school year with the new building.
“In my eight years as principal, I have never seen this level of excitement from students and teachers, even the parents,” Hilton Head Island High School Principal Steve Schidrich said during the event. “They know this building
is going to be great for the students and the community.”
The event also featured the Hilton Head Island High School cheerleaders and a Hilton Head Island High School chorus performance.
“We were proud to join students, educators, school leaders and community members in celebrating the ribbon cutting of the newly rebuilt Hilton Head Island High School,” A Town of Hilton Head Island Government Facebook post said.
Don Baus, President of the Charleston Office for Little Diversified Architectural Consulting, said the project had always been about reimagining the high school as a school of the future while making sure it remained rooted in the community.
“Our team was deeply inspired by the natural beauty and cultural heritage of Hilton Head Island, including the rich Gullah culture that has shaped this region,” Baus said. “We looked for meaningful ways to reflect those landscapes and traditions throughout the design, creating an environment that feels connected to the island and gives students a strong sense of place and belonging.”
Baus and his team worked closely with not only district personnel, but they also included the community in how the new school was designed.
“Just as important was listening to the people who know this school and community best,” Baus said. “Teachers, students, and community members helped us understand what mattered most to them, from wanting the design to reflect the history and culture of Hilton Head Island, to stronger connections between indoor and outdoor spaces, to flexible learning environments that support different ways of teaching, learning, and collaborating.”
Baus said, “Those priorities helped shape the design from the beginning. Our role was to translate that vision into a school that reflects their community, supports how students learn today and has the flexibility to continue evolving with them.”
One of the areas placed into the design of the new school, Baus said, were flexible learning spaces.
“It’s important to have design that works for every learner, including support for those with neurodiversity and sensory needs, accessibility integrated throughout circulation and learning areas and varied learning spaces,” Baus said. “We found we could reduce stress through flexible learning spaces, so you’ll see breakout areas distributed throughout campus, as well as small group rooms, open collaboration spaces, and alcoves.
“We also wanted to have an abundance of outdoor learning and activity spaces – from outdoor classrooms and instructional courtyards, to shaded gathering spaces, landscapes that encourage movement and play, and nature connected environments that promote health.”
Some of the other key design features include outdoor classrooms, instructional courtyards, and shaded gathering spaces which encourage learning, movement and wellness.
This is the first completed phase of the project and the second phase with construction to focus on renovations to the art wing and final project completion anticipated in 2029. The multi-phase construction plan, Baus said, intentionally keeps the campus fully operational.
“One thing we heard from parents was that they would hate for their child’s remaining three years to be in a construction site the entire time,” Baus said. “This encouraged us to really think through the phased build out for minimal student disruption.”
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Ribbon cutting held for first phase of new school
