Rosemount High school is expecting a once in a generation renovation throughout the next four years. But, that’s all we, as students, really know. I interviewed Principal Roback to get a detailed account of all the construction projects coming to our school soon. In this article, we’re going to explore the projects and how they’re going to affect student life.

The main changes we’re going to see are updates to the mechanicals, wider hallways and more stairwells. There will also be 14 more classrooms, renovations to the student center, kitchen and library as well as a new auxiliary gym and activity center. If this sounds like a lot, it’s because it is. Even principal Roback says “Rosemount High school will essentially look like a new school”.

So what do all of these renovations mean?

1. The updates to the mechanicals mean better air circulation throughout the school. No current Rosemount High School student can say the whole school is the same, comfortable temperature. One class can feel 80 degrees and humid while another class across the hall is 65 degrees and positively frigid. Well, after the renovations, they should be able to say it.

2. The hallways will be wider as they’ll take out some lockers and add more stairwells to improve circulation of students during passing time.

3. 14 more classrooms spread across 3 stories will be added to the back of the school where the current outdoor classroom sits. A hallway for access will also be added

4. When all is said and done, the student center will no longer have the pit and instead be all one level. There will “also be more capacity for tables and a variety of tables” and “more serving lines for students”.

5. There won’t be so many levels to the library when renovations are done.

6. There will be a 2 court auxiliary gym and 4 court activity center on the grounds south of turf two. They will also be connected with “a skyway that’s going to come out of the band hallway”.

7. We are also due to get a roundabout turning into the school from highway 3

The timeframe for these changes is approximately four years and everything is due to happen in stages throughout those four years. However, the roundabout construction will start as school gets out in June of 2025 and should be finished before the end of summer.

Now, what will all of these changes mean for Rosemount High school students?

Even though none of us will be here long enough to actually see the finished

product, we’re going to have to deal with some disruption. Principal Roback says “We’re going to have to get creative” and “…move things around”. We are sure to be displaced a few times throughout the renovations on the high school.

However, after all renovations are completed, there will be more parking spots next to the new gyms. Whether or not anyone currently a student at RHS will get to use them remains to be seen. But, we won’t lose parking spots as the Principal has asked all construction crews to not use our lots as we desperately cannot afford to hand them over.

Let’s finally explore the safety of the students. The company that’ll be doing the construction on our school specializes in school projects like this. This means that the workers are essentially held to the same standards as teachers when it comes to hiring. Background checks are a must in order to maintain our safety.

Even though all of these changes will heavily impact student experience here at RHS, the renovations will, in the end, make our school a better environment for future classes and generations.