Cyprus High School kicked off a new chapter of its legacy. On Oct. 6, the school celebrated the completion of its all-new campus with a festive ribbon cutting ceremony. This event was both a heartfelt farewell to the school’s past and a welcome into its future. The event brought current students and alumni together to reminisce and share excitement for the new campus. 

Granite School District Superintendent Ben Horsley speaking at the Cyprus High School ribbon cutting ceremony. (Photo courtesy of Jen Bodell)

The original Cyprus High School was built in 1918 on 8623 W. 3000 South in Magna. While this building was a serviceable home for many generations, it showed its age as the student body expanded and several decades passed. Numerous renovations over the years attempted to address the rising structural issues and lack of accommodation for students and faculty, including a rebuilding in 1983 caused by soil problems. In 2020, the school was rocked by a magnitude-5.7 earthquake, causing roughly $1 million in damage and confirming the need for an upgrade. 

Construction on the new building began in November 2021, situated at 8575 W. Cordero Drive. This was made possible by a $238-million bond approved by the Granite District school board in 2017, which allocated money to the construction of multiple new schools. This year, over 2,600 students began the 2025-26 school year in this new building. 

The new Cyprus High School was built with the current and future generations of students in mind, and its various improvements and features reflect that. According to Granite District’s official website, it will have “an emphasis on collaborative spaces, flexible learning environments, enhanced security, and the ability to adapt to educational needs for decades to come.”

The increase in space is set to support athletics in a way that wasn’t possible before. Whereas the school’s home sports events were previously held off campus due to the old building being unable to accommodate multischool events, the new facility offers plenty of room for all teams. 

Granite School District board member Kristina Nguyen, who spoke at the ceremony, talked about the school’s new science labs, CTE opportunities and more. 

“Our teachers at Cyprus work so hard to provide the best education for our students,” Nguyen said. “While there are still some finishing touches to do, they now have the space and ability to do this.” 

Despite the old building’s flaws, Cyprus High School has always been a cornerstone of the Magna community that has grown around it. Melissa Smith graduated from Cyprus High School in 1993. Over three decades later, she teaches social studies to new generations of Pirates. “It’s nice that we now have a new building where all the students and teachers can be in the same facility,” she said. “We feel more like a community now. Plus, the view of the Salt Lake valley is quite amazing.” 

The old campus is set to be demolished. Future plans for the repurposing or decommissioning of the site are unknown at this time. Students and teachers are still adjusting to the new campus, and there is still work to be done in construction. But by the time the school is finished, it will finally be a place the Cyprus Pirates can call a home.