NINETY SIX, S.C. – During a tour at Ninety Six High School on Feb. 6, an engineer and an architect noticed some cracked and sagging ceiling in older areas of the school, resulting in the school being shut down for a day after officials concluded that it was too dangerous for students and faculty to remain in the facility.
Students returned to school Feb. 8; however, two classroom wings where 500 students and teachers meet for classes were blocked off.
School officials for the Greenwood County School District decided Feb. 7 to lease 20 portable classrooms in place of the classrooms affected by structural problems.The portable classrooms will cost the district $80,000 to lease from neighboring Greenville County School District for 18 months. It will cost an additional $50,000 to move them to Greenwood County. Money for the lease will be taken out of the district’s building fund.
During the 18-month lease, district officials will determine whether to replace the affected parts of the building or renovate them.
Officials said it could take six or seven days for the portables to show up on the campus. Until that time, classes that were being held in the damaged part of the school will be held at a nearby primary school.
Students will make up the missed day of school on Feb. 22.
