District officials press state lawmakers for middle school funding after engineers document building movement

Mister Brock, speaking for the district at the Estill County Board of Education meeting on Feb. 17, said structural engineers inspected the middle school in early January and that the district’s sensors have tracked increased movement in the building over more than a year. "It is structurally sound, but there has been more movement," Brock said, adding that officials are continuing to monitor conditions and pursue funding for a replacement.

Brock said a site plan for a new middle school is ready and that the district is actively lobbying in Frankfort during the legislative budget session for capital funding. "We’re just looking for funding to start ... I will be in Frankfort on behalf of the school district," he said, asking community members with contacts in Frankfort to urge support for the project.

District figures reported during the meeting showed current enrollment at 2,032 students and an attendance rate of 92.74 percent; Brock also referenced a broader count figure of 2,360 tied to community survey responses about calendar decisions. Brock said the January engineering inspection found the structure still safe to occupy but noted repeated measurements of wall movement captured by sensors and documented in repeated reports.

Brock said the district plans an additional building inspection the following week and offered to make the full engineering report available at the central office for anyone who wants to review the findings. "If you have any questions and you want to see the report, come to my office. Be more than happy to show it to you," he said.

School officials emphasized caution but stopped short of saying the building is imminently unsafe: "No danger of falling, but there has been more movement," Brock said. Officials said they will continue to monitor the site and press for funding to construct a new middle school before any condition forces a relocation. The board also noted that the project’s timeline depends on state budget action and that no final funding decision has yet been made.

Next steps: the district will continue outreach to state legislators, the building inspector will review the structure, and the superintendent’s office said it would share engineering documents with board members and community members who request them.