New Middle School

Construction Management:  Leitner Management Group

Architects:  Jumper Carter Sease

Building and Site Package: Bid opening for the new middle school bid package was held on October 9, 2025.  The district had 5 companies bid on the project, and the lowest bid was Shelco in the amount of $58,773,000.  This includes the following:
Base bid - $52,586,000
Alternate 2 - $4,000,000 (Auditorium)
Alternate 3 - $718,000 (Athletic Concession/Toilet Building)
Alternate 4 - $595,000 (Softball/Baseball Dugout and Press Box)
Alternate 5 - $500,000 (Football Bleachers and Press Box)
Alternate 6 - $59,000 (Athletic Field Lighting)
Alternate 7 - $315,000 (Turf in School Secured Courtyard)
Alternate 8 - $0 (Shorten Schedule from 19 months to 18 months)

The Administrative Regulations of School Board Policy FF-R: Naming Facilities offer the following guidelines for consideration: 

• The preferred practice is to name facilities after recognized geographical areas. 

• The board may consider naming a portion of a facility, an individual building on a campus, or a specific area after a person if the individual is deceased for at least three years and made an outstanding contribution to the school or district, and the name carries special significance.

YSD1 currently has schools with names that align with each of these guidelines. For example, Hickory Grove-Sharon Elementary and Hunter Street Elementary are named to denote their location. Cotton Belt Elementary is named after the "Cotton Belt" region of the Southern United States, which historically referred to the area where cotton was a major cash crop. Harold C. Johnson Elementary falls into the second category. The school was named after esteemed educator Harold C. Johnson who was committed to the York community. 

The board will be responsible for recommending a name or names for facilities, so they are seeking community participation in these key decisions.

To assist community members with this work, we are sharing background research provided by historian Zach Lemhouse of Culture & Heritage Museums of York County, about the community location where the new school will be constructed:

• All the maps show that the site for the new middle school is along Fishing Creek.
  Possible name consideration: Fishing Creek Middle School.   
• The 1936 Young map and the 1910 Jones and Walker map show that the site for the school is near a historic church called White Hill Church. Black churches typically operated schools for African American children after emancipation. The Young map shows that White Hill Church operated a school like this near the future site of the middle school. It was called White Hill School.
  Possible name consideration: White Hill Middle School in honor of the historic school. White Hill Church still exists, could consider conversations if pursuing this name.
• The 1825 Mills map shows that one of the historic names for Old York Road was Thorn’s Ferry Road. Possible name consideration: Thorns Ferry Middle School 
• There was a Revolutionary War skirmish that was fought about 2.5 miles from the new middle school site. It was called the battle of Stallings plantation.
  Possible name consideration: Stallings Middle School. 
• Though the site of the future middle school is technically outside the boundaries of the historic town of Yorkville (present-day York).
  Possible name consideration: Yorkville Middle School 
• The Walker map notes the community of Tirzah, located roughly halfway between the cities of York and Rock Hill. 
  Possible name consideration: Tirzah Middle School

The linked survey below is open through Monday, November 10. The suggestions shared in the survey will be presented to a focus group of students, parents and staff members. This group will narrow the scope of the community input and move forward with a recommendation or recommendations to the Superintendent.

• Make your suggestions here for school name, mascot and colors: https://form.jotform.com/252993964264169