CROSS COUNTY — Building projects are progressing for the Wynne and Cross County School Districts.
The biggest of those projects is the rebuild of Wynne High School.
“The exterior is moving well. The blocks are getting close to the end. They’re at the auditorium. Both wings are completely done with blocks and the auditorium is the last piece,” said Wynne Superintendent of Schools Dr. Kenneth Moore. “If you drive by, you see that auditorium wall is getting taller and taller. They still have one footing to pour on the far east side. After they’re done hanging the steel on that wing they’re on now, that three story wing, as that crane works to the auditorium, that’s going to be the end of the steel and the blocks.
“We’re still waiting to get to that point to see what the last piece of steel will be and do a topping out ceremony,” he added. “We’ll keep everyone in the loop for that. They want to do it on the front. It’s just more visible. It’s easier for us to get people around there. That’s kind of what they’re working around is figuring out exactly where that piece of steel will be.”
The completion date for the project is still sometime next spring. Wynne High School was destroyed in the March 2023 tornado.
Another major project on the Cross County campus in Cherry Valley is the addition to the elementary school. Before that addition could take place, the ARcare clinic had to be relocated. Cross County Superintendent Dr. Nathan Morris said work on that facility is nearly complete.
“They’re going to have more parking. They’re going to have more new parking, a circle drive-through there, very easy in and out,” he said. “A couple of good handicap accessible spots. It will be a nice addition.”
Dr. Morris said work is now ongoing without interruption for the elementary school addition.
“That has not stopped work on the new addition to the elementary school. We are behind. It’s held us up,” he said. “The same dirt contractors are doing both the parking lot, the earthwork around the ARcare but also doing the earthwork at the new building site of the elementary. When they can’t work on one, they’ve moved to another. If they’re ahead on one, they move back so it’s not really stopping that process.”
The new kindergarten addition should be ready for the 2027-28 school year.
