Thousands of Cy-Fair ISD students returned to their campuses for the first time since March on Sept. 8, kicking off the start of the 2020-21 school year.

With new safety protocols in place to help curb the spread of COVID-19, the first day of classes may have looked different for students and staff. More than half of district students logged on to virtual classrooms through CFISD Connect. Harold R. Rowe Middle School opened its 255,000-square-foot campus to students for the first time Sept. 8. The new facility has a capacity of 1,350 sixth- through eighth-grade students. PBK Architects designed the district's 19th middle school campus, which is part of a multicampus educational village, including Cypress Park High School and a future elementary school.

Rowe, the school's namesake, served the district’s technology services department from 1991-2013, overseeing $165 million in technology bond projects and a network upgrade and wireless overlay for all campuses during his career.

Stacia Carew will be the inaugural principal at Rowe, which is located at FM 529 and Westgreen Boulevard.