Hays CISD's third comprehensive high school was approved by voters in the May 2017 bond election and construction began on the campus in June 2017. The campus will have a capacity of 2,250 students and serve grades 9 - 12, offering state-of-the-art educational opportunities. The high school will provide rigorous general curriculum, outstanding fine arts programs, innovative career and technology education courses, and competitive athletic experiences.
The 413,500 square-foot campus is projected to open in August 2019. The construction cost estimate is $103,375,000 ($250 per SF). The $122,000,000 total cost of project includes all necessary furniture, equipment, site infrastructure, architecture costs, and other fees. Any bond savings from a reduced cost of this project will be used to pay down existing debt, which returns the money to the taxpayers.
On December 11, 2017, the Board of Trustees unanimously voted to name the high school in honor of William M. "Moe" and Eugenia “Gene” Johnson, two people influential in helping to found the district. Mr. Johnson served as the district's first superintendent in 1967 when the Hays Consolidated Independent School District was created. His wife of more than 60 years, Gene, literally wrote the book on the district called A Tribute to Vision, Courage, and Trust: The Story of the Hays Consolidated Independent School District. Their contributions to the schools and communities in the district spanned their entire lives.
