District outlines fire damage and recovery plan after May 22 lightning strike

District leaders told the board that a May 22 lightning strike ignited a fire in the high‑school gym and that the primary damage to the facility has been from water and smoke rather than structural collapse.

Administrators said restoration crews (a recovery/restoration team) are on site daily and roughly 45 workers have been present at various times. They reported that middle‑school gym flooring appears salvageable but the high‑school gym floor and some bleachers will need replacement; the high‑school gym roof will require replacement pending a structural engineer’s report. Air‑quality testing for elementary and middle‑school areas returned results that enabled staff to resume on‑site operations in those areas; the high school section remains restricted and a temporary door separates it from the rest of the building.

Superintendent and staff said the district’s insurance deductible is $5,000 and thanked first responders and partner districts for immediate assistance. Administrators cautioned that some timelines remain uncertain — the structural engineer’s roof report is pending — but they expect clearer repair schedules within the coming week. The district remains on target to begin the school year with the scheduled student start date in late July and is coordinating alternative arrangements used for recent graduation events.

The board was asked to continue monitoring procurement and restoration contracts and to expect additional updates as bids, contractor selections and engineer reports are finalized.