IF YOU BUILD IT, THEY WILL COME

IF YOU BUILD IT, THEY WILL COME

We wanted to build a school and a school culture that would make them want to come to Rock Hill and be excited about being a Blue Hawk.

Some jobs are challenging in this New World in which we live. Some jobs are overwhelming and exhausting and some jobs seem virtually impossible. Opening a new high school is challenging. Opening a large new high school is challenging. Opening a large new high school that is a community’s second high school is challenging. Opening a large new high school that is a community’s second high school in the middle of a pandemic is challenging. Doing so while building a positive school culture amongst students and staff, well… that takes an amazing leader.

Dustin Toth was tasked with that job and, according to students and staff, has succeeded despite all of the challenges. He has managed to build relationships with staff, students, parents and community members while possessing a confident and relatable presence that has fostered a sense of community and belonging at Rock Hill High School.

Toth began his culture building back in September of 2019 after the zones for the two high schools were announced. He started by meeting with Seniors during Eagle Time and then with Juniors. During the course of the fall, Toth and his Administrative Assistant,

Erin Jones, met with the students about 10 times. During these meetings the students decided what the core values and focus of the school would be. Through that came the ICSEEU which stands for their core values of Integrity, Creativity, Service, Excellence, Empathy, and Unity.

Both Toth and the students wanted to highlight and celebrate the diversity of the school. RHHS Senior, Grant Johnson, loves “the flags surrounding the commons areas upstairs. Each student nationality is represented as a flag that reminds students where they came from and how diverse our school body is. It is also really cool that Hill Top News highlights a student each week in their segment Faces Behind the Flags so students can see the face that that flag represents.” There are currently 48 flags representing the diversity that is RHHS!

RHHS student, Shreya Srivathsan also finds the campus’ focus on social/emotional health and overall culture to be very rewarding. “We

have celebrated many events together such as Hispanic Heritage month and safe and fun pep rallies at school even during a pandemic. It is amazing how much initiative the school is taking to recognize the importance of mental health. We have already had guest speakers and well organized events to represent the student body. RHHS media, StuCo, and other school organizations continue to develop a positive and healthy culture at Rockhill.” In addition, student Sarah Hennen adds that she loves how “the administration has set up these "shout outs" where people submit kind and uplifting messages to a box in the cafeteria and Mr.Toth will read them out during morning announcements, it's really helped to contribute to creating a positive atmosphere in the school and I think it's really helped with improving the social atmosphere and emotional health of both the staff and students.”

While both students and staff are experiencing the excitement of this novel opportunity to open a new high school, doing so in the middle of a global pandemic with all norms thrown out the window creates some unique challenges. Staff member Christi Wahnschaffe said that building culture at RHHS has been all inclusive by the campus administration. “What haven’t they done? It started last year as each class helped to create their own core values! Those core values permeate our school and are a common daily thread. Make it Matter Monday has also been implemented. Each Monday we spend time learning and growing together, challenging each other to become our best selves.

There are also other things such as, the flags in the entry, the daily reminders to be prompt, prepared, punctual, productive and polite and also the MANY things in place to recognize excellence!” Campus Athletic Coordinator, Mark Humble, reiterated that “there is a great sense of togetherness, or our core value of UNITY, that runs through the school. Students, staff and administration are all equally a part of Rock Hill and you can see/feel that mutual support.”

In explaining how Mr. Toth was the “bricks that built the foundation of the culture on the Hill” and the “glue that holds it together,” RHHS teacher Carly Buck emphasized that “Mr. Toth leads by example. He is a true leader and walks the walk daily. From day one he has promoted a family culture at Rock Hill through his words and actions. We take care of each other and already this year I have seen the willingness to jump in and help wherever needed from my co-workers.”

Toth’s focus from the beginning was “identifying core values, what we were going to be about, what we wanted the focus of the school to be and chipping away at the details that would build that cohesive culture including a school theme and class mottos. We wanted to build a school and a school culture that would make them want to come to Rock Hill and be excited about being a Blue Hawk.”