Superintendent, students exchange plans and ideas for new RSHS gym

ROCKINGHAM — Superintendent Dr. Jeff Maples and members of the Superintendent’s 2021-22 Student Advisory Council met last week to discuss future plans and options for the future auxiliary gym at Richmond Senior High School.

The planned gym will be completed as part of three projects divided among Richmond Senior High School, Fairview Heights and Mineral Springs Elementary Schools for a total projected cost around $13,000,000.

All of the projects must be completed by September 2024 as they are subject to federal guidelines through the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds. ESSER funds come from the U.S. Department of Education through the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI). LS3P is the architectural firm that is completing the work on this project.

Maples and other school leaders met with students to exchange ideas about what could could be the best future uses for the gym and the extra space that will come with it. One planned result from the new gym and classrooms is that students would be able to attend RSHS as ninth graders, and that the current Ninth Grade Academy would become the future home of Monroe Avenue Elementary students.

Monroe Avenue would then become a central location that could serve 15-16 pre-K classrooms.

“There wouldn’t be a student in Richmond County who would be unable to go to pre-K,” Maples said, adding that they’re currently only able to offer about 11 pre-K classes in the county.

“We think [those students] would have a better experience on the campus of RSHS and getting engaged with all we have to offer instead of busing back and forth,” Maples said.

The new auxiliary gym will be able to accomodate about 400 people at a time.

“I feel like it will make the school feet a lot bigger,” said 11th grader Andrea Ellerbe about the addition of NGA students. “They would get a better experience over here.”

“I think that’s really going to change the overall experience of ninth grade,” said 12th grader Anna Blair, who previously attended high school in Lumberton where ninth graders were integrated with older students. “When you’re surrounded by older kids, you learn to follow their example and are held to a higher standard.”

At the council meeting, students were divided into small groups and were asked their thoughts on potential ways that the gym could be utilized, as well as their thoughts on the overall concept.

Maples explained that any parents of current 11th and 12th graders at RSHS would have been accustomed to a school population of 2,000 about 30 years ago. Now, RSHS houses around 1,350 students, with many students off-campus enrolled in classes at Richmond Community College.

Principal Jim Butler said that the auxiliary gym will create more options for all students, and that it will prevent student athletes from staying too late after practice. School leaders stated that the addition of the auxiliary gym would prevent overcrowding among various athletic programs.

Multiple students inquired about the possibility of an auditorium and stage being an option in the future. Maples said that RCS is working on a grant that they expect to hear back from soon.

12th grader Millie Ingram said that all of the performing arts programs, especially the drama club that was revamped last year, would benefit from a stage.

Students shared that active organizations with large memberships at RSHS, such as the Beta Club with over 100 members, would receive an immense boost from the extra space provided by the project.

“It would really allow us to get a feel of a stage presence, and open up more opportunities for us,” said 12th grader Jamie Sears about Beta Club.

“Practicing for conventional and nationals would be a lot easier,” agreed Destiny Isler. “There’s a lot of us.”

Prior to their trip to a convention, Beta Club had to prepare for their performances in a foyer. Multiple students said that the option to be in a central location would make large scale projects and group activities much more manageable.

Blair, also a member of the school band, added that their program is rapidly growing with new members, and that any extra storage space could be utilized so that student’s instruments aren’t left lying on the floor in an open area.

11th grader Tyson Holloway agreed that Beta Club could be a beneficiary from the additional room, as well as student athletes. Holloway, a member of the football team, said that currently if it rains, they’re forced to cancel practice or share the space with another team, which often limits what can be done at a practice. Additionally, Holloway said that the current weight room can get very crowded with 40 or 50 people occupying the space at a time, and that the auxiliary gym could help address that concern.

Maples said that future meetings are planned with stakeholders to discuss how the projects at Fairview Heights and Mineral Springs will unfold.