Pedro – More than a year has passed since Rock Hill School District residents voted to support a 4.

Saturday, December 18, 1999

Pedro – More than a year has passed since Rock Hill School District residents voted to support a 4.28-mill property tax levy to supply a local match to $34 million in state funds.

Monday, those residents will see the result of that decision.

Dirt will be lifted during a ground-breaking celebration at 9:30 a.m. Monday on 2273 County Road 26, the site of the future Rock Hill High School, said Lloyd Evans, superintendent.

"It’s a celebration to get ready to begin the building of our new buildings," Evans said. "There will be a short ceremony at the high school after it. All the students in the district will be there for a ground-breaking ceremony program."

The public is welcome, he added.

"There will be some speakers and we’re going to turn over some soil," he said.

Unfortunately, with winter on its way in, actual construction will not be possible until spring, Evans added.

"We’ve begun advertising for raising the township road and we’re planning to advertise the other site work for actual construction prior to the end of this month," Evans said. "In the year 2000, we’ll certainly be on our way to getting the work done. We want to be ready to do a lot of work when the weather breaks in the spring."

It will take an estimated 18 to 20 months for the new high school to be constructed. The new consolidated elementary school project is expected to begin at the same time, Evans said.

"All the site work for both buildings will be awarded at the same time," he said. "Once the new high school is built, the high school will be remodeled while it’s vacant in the summer of 2001 and the middle school will be moved to it once it’s vacant."

Evans said he’s excited to see the project move to the next level.

"I’m anxious to celebrate the construction of these two buildings," he said. "There’s been a lengthy time span where we haven’t seen a lot of progress and I’m anxious to see it get started."