Southside High School students in Fort Smith will be without a cafeteria for the entire school year as emergency repairs are being planned on the structure supporting the roof above the building.

Temporary Dining Arrangements

School leaders said about 2,000 students will be fed in the school’s east safe room. The closure also means the tornado shelter will not be available to the community during severe weather.

“First year, and we already have to eat in a gym,” incoming freshmen River Thomas and Shayden Morrison said. The students are looking forward to the school year, but were concerned about how crowded the dining setup could be.

Southside Principal Jeff Prewitt said the school would adjust as needed to make sure students were fed and safe. “2,000 kids showing up on campus, we’re going to work out a plan to feed them,” Prewitt said.

Repairs and Safety

Fort Smith Public Schools Facility Operations Executive Director Shawn Shaffer said the issue was discovered in June while crews were working on another part of the high school that was built in 1963. A structural engineer found problems with the lightweight concrete deck structure above the cafeteria that supports the roof and the material now needs to be replaced.

District administrators told 40/29 News that early estimates put the cost of the work between $1.5 – $2 million. The repairs are expected to take about a year, though school leaders said they hope the project is finished sooner.

Original reporting: 40/29 / KHBS (NW Arkansas) — read the source article.