Life goes on in the midst of construction

Teresa Klumpp/Tribune photo Kevin "Skitch" Allen works on demolition of a house across from Fort Scott High School Friday morning. The USD 234 Board of Education approved purchase of the house, which is located next to a vacant lot owned by the school district. District officials plan to make use of both lots for parking at the high school.

Despite changes and adjustments due to construction at USD 234 schools, the consensus among school leaders is that it's business as usual, with thus far no major hitches along the way.

Schools have been dealing with temporary construction fences put in place earlier this month at district schools as safety measures for construction related to the district's $40.8 million school bond projects.

Dirt and site work is already taking place at some schools with work slated to begin at others in the near future.

Fort Scott High School Principal Shawn Thomas said he is proud of how his staff have handled their jobs while working around some inconveniences due to construction.

"I think we're all happy to see some progress occurring. It's nice to see some activity. It makes us feel more like the inconvenience of this year is starting to pay off a little bit," Thomas said. "It's an adjustment. There's been a lot of noise, a lot of dust and a mess associated with what they're doing. Because of that, it creates some obstacles."

Thomas said the sound of jackhammers working and "rubble being pushed around and scraped up" has created some distractions but he doesn't feel the learning environment has been adversely affected.

"I've been amazed at how professionally they're (staff) handling things," he said.

Construction fences have created some minor parking issues at the school this year, Thomas said.

"Parking is a mess anyway. It's been a real inconvenience for kids," he said. "Parking is at a premium. We get that and we know kids are struggling with that, and staff also. But nobody's really grumbled too much about it because it's for the greater good."

An unoccupied two-story white house located on Main Street across from the high school is being demolished to make way for extra parking. The house, which the district purchased, was located on a lot next to a district-owned vacant lot. School officials said the plan is to use both lots for parking.

"We'll lose more parking spots when the preliminary work starts on the new gymnasium," Thomas said. "Hopefully, we'll have some alternatives like across the road to alleviate some of that loss."

Part of the bond projects plan is to build a new auxiliary gymnasium on the northeast corner of the high school.

"Kids are watching work and are a little hyper about the fact that we have a lot of construction workers on site but I've been super pleased with how the staff has handled things and continuing to educate kids in the best possible way despite those inconveniences," he said.

At Winfield Scott Elementary School, where site work and digging is also taking place, Principal Marianna Daugherty said "things are going pretty well" with some inconveniences related to noise, parking and traffic. The school serves kindergarten through second grade students.

"There's been an inconvenience to some parents dropping kids off and picking them up," she said. "Lines are long since we have one place to pick kids up ... there's a little frustration. Traffic has been backed up a little further. But we've been looking forward to what's coming.

"Teachers have been really good about finding places to park a little further away. We haven't had much complaining."

Daugherty said there has been "some noise" affecting the school's library due to digging taking place "right outside the window." She also said the distractions weren't causing a big problem.