Weather delays have slowed construction of Dibrell School expansion to the point the project may not be completed until October.With the school year set to begin Aug. 15, the School Board is scrambling to find space to house students at the beginning of the year should Dibrell School not be available.Alternatives include holding school for two weeks at the local Motlow campus and Warren County Middle School, or as a last resort, farming some grades out to other schools.The problems were magnified last week when the state fire marshal declined to approve a temporary certificate of occupancy for the facility.Architect Paul McCall, of Cockrill Design & Planning, said local state fire marshal Paul Dixon opted not to grant the certificate of occupancy on Thursday.“From his perspective, he doesn’t want to take any responsibility for putting teachers or kids in harm’s way and I understand that,” said McCall.The decision also affects food services since there could be a completed kitchen, but no seating available.“One thing that was brought up is if we have a completed kitchen and the cafeteria workers can have access to that kitchen they can prepare meals,” McCall said. “Teachers and children will not go into the cafeteria, but at least the food will be prepared there and then taken to classrooms wherever a temporary setup could be made, in the gym or whatever.”This brought a comment from Director of Schools Dr. Jerry Hale.“We could satellite the food if we have to,” Hale said. “We could truck it in.”School officials say their Plan A is to get the existing facility – not the expansion – completed to the point where classes could be held Aug. 15.
Dibrell students may have to go elsewhere