In the 1998–1999 school year, Hephzibah's freshman class was housed at the Freshman Academy, in the old building for Floyd Graham Elementary School. This was done partially to ease overcrowding at the school and partially as a pilot project for the Richmond County Board of Education. Freshman Academy was shuttered after the construction of Cross Creek High School was completed in 1999 and made operating a second location for Hephzibah unnecessary. A new wing was added to the main facility that same year to finish the push to ease overcrowding at the school.