South Middle School welcomes the community into their new building | News [Video]

RAPID CITY, S.D. – In 2015, due to safety concerns with the South Middle School Building, Rapid City Area Schools started planning a new building. Now that the Fall 2024 semester has begun, students are finally able to use that new building.

On Saturday, August 24, the public was able to tour the school during their open house.

New to this building are improvements to the heating and cooling system with geothermal energy being used to reduce operating costs. Principal Darren Schmidt spoke with us about why the improvements were needed so badly.

“So the old building, our hallways were super narrow, super small, classrooms were small,” said Schmidt. “There were slopes in the floors. It was an old building.

“And so this new building provides space, collaborative spaces. The technology, the heating and air. Because the old building, we didn’t have air conditioning. This one has air conditioning.”

The …