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The Rockbridge County School Board voted last week to amend its capital improvements plan to delay construction of two auxiliary gyms for two years, until the 2026-27 fiscal year.
Construction of the gyms, one at Rockbridge County High School and one at Central Elementary School, had originally been budgeted for this upcoming fiscal year This decision was made do to the rising estimates of the cost for renovations on Rockbridge County High School, currently scheduled to start in 2028-29.
“Over the past several weeks, some of us have been part of some ongoing conversations surrounding the impending renovation of Rockbridge County High School proper,” Superintendent Phillip Thompson told the School Board last Tuesday.
“So in having those conversations, overall conversations, it came up that perhaps it would be wise for us, as a School Board, to postpone those auxiliary gyms, until we have more conversations about, what does it look like for the FY29 overall renovation at Rockbridge County High School,” he said.
When the current CIP was presented to the Rockbridge Board of Supervisors in October of 2023, the estimated cost of the high school renovations was increased from $18 million to $25 million.
Last week, Thompson advised the Board that waiting on the gyms would be a wise choice.
“This Board has always been extremely diligent in trying to make sure you are doing well with the taxpayer dollar, and making sure you are saving as much money as you can while getting our students everything they need,” he said.
“And while right now, it would be great to have these gyms, I certainly understand the need to try to make sure we’re doing those wisely,” Thompson said.
“I’d rather make sure we do it right rather than just get it done.”
Lexington City Schools, which contributes about 17% of the funding toward projects in the county, has also been made aware of this change.
“I’ve been in regular communication with them about any changes,” Superintendent Rebecca Walters said at a joint meeting of City Council and the Lexington School Board last Thursday.
“We talked four times before this spring to know whether the auxiliary gym was going to be in the budget or not. It’s now in the FY27, according to their plan,” she said.
Lexington City Schools has shifted its budget accordingly.
