ROGERS, Ark. — A middle school in the Rogers Public Schools (RPS) district is shutting its doors for the 2024-25 school year after taking extensive damage from severe weather on May 26.
Greer Lingle Middle School, which serves grades sixth through eighth, will not be holding classes for the upcoming school year, according to RPS Superintendent Jeff Perry.
Perry tells 5NEWS that there is an array of issues involving electricity, air conditioning, and most notably, the significantly damaged roof.
He says that while the outside structure of the school is still sturdy, it will essentially be a new school by the time repairs are complete.
"If it was a car, it would be totaled," Perry said.
The 2023-24 school year was cut short for the entire district due to the storms.
District leaders met for a study session earlier this month to discuss the issue and present alternative plans for the students slated to attend Greer Lingle in the fall.
The middle school's projected enrollment is just over 700 students according to Perry, who says that there is no perfect solution, and the task at hand is simply getting through the year.
Perry said that during the session, many ideas were brought forward, but not all were feasible, and the district has to act quickly as the new school year approaches.
As of now, the plan is to bring in trailers to serve as mobile classrooms that would be placed adjacent to Rogers New Technology High School, Perry said.
Additionally, facilities and available classrooms will be used at nearby schools, such as Rogers New Technology High School, to accommodate the Greer Lingle students.
The first day of school for RPS is currently set for Aug. 14. The school board will meet for its next monthly meeting on June 18, where Perry says more discussion on the Greer Lingle closure is possible.
The superintendent says that the project to repair Greer Lingle doesn't yet have a price tag, but it will be in the millions and will involve virtually redoing the school due to the extent of damage it sustained.
Perry adds that more information will be made available as details on the plan become clearer.
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