When will the new Hernando High open and what will it mean for other schools in the city?

Jacob Wilt, Memphis Commercial Appeal
·3 min read

In September 2021, DeSoto County Schools announced plans to build a new high school campus in Hernando. Nearly three years later, the project is still on track to be ready for the 2025-26 school year.

That’s according to Lauren Margeson, executive administrative assistant to the DeSoto County Schools superintendent. She said Hernando’s school zone has grown almost 26% since 2013, from 3,884 to 4,890 students. A new campus was necessary to keep up with the demand.

“Classrooms have been added on every campus in the Hernando school zone in order to keep up with the growth,” Margeson said. “There is not any available space left to continue with expansion. As a result, the new Hernando High School will allow a new grade configuration in Hernando, and there will be continued room to grow on those landlocked campuses.”

Construction for what will be the Hernando High School campus is seen in Hernando, Miss., on Wednesday, February 28, 2024.
Construction for what will be the Hernando High School campus is seen in Hernando, Miss., on Wednesday, February 28, 2024.

What will new Hernando High campus include?

The new campus, located at 1200 McIngvale, is expected to cause a major reduction in traffic around the current high school by splitting up the student body. The new location is also just a mile away from Interstate 269 and Interstate 55, making for quick access to the highway.

The current high school at 805 Dilworth Lane is encircled by streets, neighborhoods and commercial buildings, leaving no room for further expansion. It's far closer to Hernando proper as well — the district believes a location change may even improve traffic in downtown Hernando.

The $87 million project includes a 209,000-square-foot, single-story building that will house all the classrooms, cafeteria, library and more. Across the 93-acre lot, 17 separate structures, which clock in at about 28,000 square feet, will be used for auxiliary functions like ticket booths, concessions and storage.

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Because there is far more space to work with at the new location, additional athletic fields can be expected. Track and field, tennis courts and softball field, all of which are currently located at Hernando Middle School, will be built at the new high school. Every facility that the current high school has, like fields for football and baseball, will also be built at the new location.

A DeSoto County Schools bus is seen in Hernando, Miss., on Wednesday, February 28, 2024.
A DeSoto County Schools bus is seen in Hernando, Miss., on Wednesday, February 28, 2024.

Will there be changes at other Hernando schools?

It’s not just high school students changing campuses. Grades six to eight will go to school in the old high school. Grades four and five will be moved to the current Hernando Middle School, and grades two and three will remain at Hernando Hills Elementary.

After the build, students in kindergarten and first grade will be split between Hernando Elementary School and Grove Central Elementary, which will require minor rezoning. After first grade, all students in one grade will go to school together.

For now, though, if construction continues on schedule, incoming and current Hernando High School students only need wait one more school year until their campus gets a big upgrade.

Jacob Wilt is a reporter for The Commercial Appeal. You can reach him at jacob.wilt@commercialappeal.com.

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: When will the new Hernando High School open? The latest on the project