By Abigail Roberts
STANFORD – Lincoln County students will get an extra two weeks of summer this year as construction issues at Lincoln County High School have postponed opening day.
The Lincoln County Board of Education met for a special-called meeting Thursday, July 30 to address the issue.
The board approved a new school calendar which will move the start date for Lincoln County students to Monday, Sept. 8. The last day of school will now be May 27, 2026.
The decision was made after construction crews discovered several structural issues that must be addressed to ensure the safety of students and staff.
“The high school is undergoing a major renovation project this summer,” a school district press release states. “Phase one of the project includes new flooring, ceilings and lighting in the hallways and lobbies. The student bathrooms are being completely renovated along with repairs to some floors, the roof and masonry walls. The school is also receiving a new intercom system and a gym renovation.”
According to Board Member Phillip Coots, there were three main places in the flooring at LCHS that were no longer level and there are some structural issues that caused the flooring to sink. In an attempt to fix these issues, crews have been pumping concrete under the floor to solidify the foundation and raise it back up to be level with the rest of the flooring.
“This process worked in one of the three areas, but was unsuccessful in the other two,” Coots said. “…The concern now is that there is a sinkhole or other issues under the flooring.”
Coots said safety is the biggest concern and that is why the start of school has been delayed.
A new calendar was approved Thursday but not without a few minor issues that will have to be worked out concerning student teachers and dual credit student requirements.
“We understand the inconvenience this may cause and appreciate the patience and support of our families and community as we work diligently to resolve these issues,” said Bruce Smith, Superintendent of Lincoln County Schools. “We are very excited about the improvements being made for our students and staff and look forward to completing the project as soon as possible.”
