“Believe.”

That’s the mantra of Hays Middle School, which is now the only public middle school in USD 489 following the closure of Kennedy Middle School in May.

HMS principal Craig Pallister told a crowd gathered for Tuesday morning’s ribbon cutting outside the school’s new addition that “this is the start of the tradition for Hays Middle School.”

“We have new students, new teachers, new secretaries and a new assistant principal.  We even have a new football team which is undefeated in the history of Hays Middle School,” Pallister joked, drawing a laugh from the audience.

Pallister doesn’t know if the football team will remain undefeated but says he does know Hays Middle School is “full of opportunities.”

There are 600 students in 6th, 7th and 8th grades, along with 75 staff members at HMS.

The original building dates to 1964 when it was known as Hays Junior High School.  After some reconstruction in 1981, it became Felten Middle School.  Now, as of August 16, 2012, it’s Hays Middle School.

Pallister says an east side addition is planned which will include a storm shelter, the first for any school in USD 489.