Take a look inside Hilton Head’s new high school

The first phase of $80.3 million construction of the new Hilton Head Island High School at the 43-year-old school campus is “on time and on budget,” according to Beaufort County School District project manager Tim Summers.

This first phase, expected to be complete and open for the 2026-2027 school year, involved constructing a new 144,000 square-foot classroom building and a soon to start renovation of the arts wing. The new structure stands directly in front of the original high school, built in 1983, occupying what was formerly the parking lot.

The old high school entrance is visible through the two-story tall windows in the school’s new media center — until June, when that structure will be demolished for phase two.

The high school build and renovation are funded through a $344 million bond referendum – the largest in the school district’s history, passed by voters in 2023. The four- to five-year project will include a middle school replacement, security, HVAC and proactive repairs and safety-focused facility maintenance improvements across the district, among other upgrades.

At the high school, flex spaces are located on every floor. Students can use them to work on individual or group projects.

“Next year, we’ll just have to temporarily have these as offices, but after that they’ll be for student usage,” Principal Steve Schidrich said as he walked a group through the hall on the first floor.

Here’s what it looks like

The three-story classroom building doesn’t seem towering when viewed from the outside. On the front, the red brick base gives off a sandy vibe, and various shades of blue tile fronts give the feeling of Atlantic Ocean waves.

The school’s entrance will have metal detectors as students make their way inside. Once they’re in, they will be welcomed by a terrazzo floor mural of Hilton Head Island, with a royal-blue star marking the location of their campus.

A grand staircase with “learning steps” provides an area for students to socialize and relax. Lighting in the foyer is designed to resemble levitating clouds.

Looking past the staircase, there’s a yet-to-be built glassed-in corridor that will offer views of a huge, fenced in courtyard connecting to a new cafeteria and the Career and Technical Education wing.

Visitors to the school will enter a front vestibule and require a double buzz-in from office staff — first to gain entry into the secure, glassed in lobby, and then another to enter the school’s administrative offices.

Flex spaces are incorporated on every floor for student project work, and the teachers’ break area is divided by a slatted mail wall, separating a space for lunch and breaks from an area for supplies and school work.

The second floor of the media center will have numerous work tables and a “maker space” with operating garage doors where students “can work and decompress,” Schidrich said.

Windows stretching from the first floor to the second-floor ceiling in the media center will look out onto an outdoor courtyard, enclosed by secure fencing designed to resemble beach dune fencing.

Schidrich said the space, currently occupied by the existing school, will be a massive gathering spot for students and faculty. It will be shaded by the property’s existing live oak trees.

The current career and technical programs in business, computer cyber science and hospitality will continue to be offered to students in the new contemporary space. A new health science program will be offered starting in 2027, designed to prepare students for careers in health care, nursing and patient care. A non-traditional classroom for the program will offer students the ability to learn and train with simulated medical equipment.

Future development: Phase 2

Phase two will begin in early June with the demolition of the existing school building, located behind the new three-story structure. This demolition will make way for the new cafeteria and the new Career and Technical Education wing.

With the new CTE wing, the school will expand its educational offerings. The wing will include a state-of-the-art kitchen for culinary classes and a public safety program that will educate students on careers in firefighting and emergency medicine. Another program will offer students technical expertise and a career path in marine small engine repair.

Phase 2 also includes the renovation of the gym and Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC).