Junior Nikki Hansen started her last day of elementary five years ago at a newly built Cockrell Elementary. Now, she will end her pre-college years at the brand-new Rock Hill High. This Friday, Oct. 4, she will join other future classmates and students at Children’s Health Stadium to sign a beam that will be used for construction at the new building.

The event will go from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. and will include bounce houses, activities and giveaways.

“While a beam, which will be used in the construction of Rock Hill High School will be the headliner, the event was intentionally planned to bring the community together as one to celebrate an important milestone in our district,” school secretary Erin Jones said. “It’s not only Rock Hill High School students that will be a part of this history, but it’s also Prosper High School students, our middle school students, and elementary school students.”

With 10,000 more square feet than Prosper High School, the building that is set to open for the fall semester of 2020 will hold 314 students in Rock Hill’s first graduating class. This will include incoming freshmen, sophomores and juniors who are slated for the new high school.

“It will be the biggest high school that Prosper has,” future Rock Hill principal Dustin Toth said. “We will start out as a 5A, probably around 1,700 or 1,800 kids. It just depends on the growth for what it will look like in a few years.”

Here are the latest pics from Rock Hill! South wing is moving along and should be complete toward mid year. @ProsperRogersMS @ProsperHaysMS @ProsperISD @PISD_Athletics @ProsperHS pic.twitter.com/J7ebOmyZGv

— Rock Hill High School (@RockHillHS) September 27, 2019

Rock Hill will offer the same courses, electives and UIL activities that PHS offers.

“That is our next step, to figure out what all you guys are involved in here to make sure that we have those there,” Toth said. “We can also add things, too, depending on what the interest is. It just gives you an opportunity to get involved in things you want to get involved in.”

Class of 2021 students who chose to attend the new high school can take part in deciding the RHHS school crest, mascot name, fight song, and other PISD traditions.

“Rock Hill is a blank slate, and it’s our time to make history together,” Jones said. “It’s exciting to think that students now will have an impact on Rock Hill High School for years to come.”

Designs for the new school show courtyards, an open library, and modern architecture.

“The atmosphere and the setting of it are more conducive to college,” Toth said. “You have an open environment – you have the courtyards, collaboration stations and things like that.”

The mascot for the high school will be a blue hawk, and the new colors for the school will be blue, black, white and gray.

“I love the new school colors,” Hansen said. “I’m really excited that I’m going to be a senior and set the future generation stuff, like signing the beam.”

Because of the small number of juniors that chose to attend Rock Hill, PISD extended the choice to current sophomores.

“I’ve lived in Prosper my whole life, and I’ve seen it grow,” Hansen said. “I don’t know how big our class is going to get, but based on the number I’ve seen so far, it’s smaller. I like that it will be small, and everybody knows each other.”

The administration has had multiple design meetings for the new high school as construction continues.

“Although many currently see it as a big, dusty work in progress, we can assure you great things are happening daily,” Jones said. “Every detail has been carefully selected, from the layout of the school and the big, open footprint, to the furniture that has been chosen to fill the school inside and out.”

Rock Hill administration will start the process of hiring new staff in November.

“Rock Hill will be all about making connections with one another- whether it be with other students, teachers, coaches, staff members or all of the above,” Jones said. “I would encourage everyone to think about all they will gain with the opening of Rock Hill High School in the fall of 2020, and to remember we are all on this wonderful journey together.”

To hear the full interview with Rock Hill principal Dustin Toth, click on the video below.