Jonesboro, AR – JonesboroRightNow.com – Construction on the new addition for Valley View High School has hit a stumbling block after the discovery of non-compliant materials installed on the project.
On Feb. 20, the Valley View School District addressed the issue on Facebook, saying that following testing and analysis of the materials, the project team determined removing and replacing the materials would be the best solution.
While the exact nature of the failed materials and the scope of the rework remain undisclosed by the team, Superintendent Roland Popejoy assures the community that the mistake will not impact the district’s budget.
When asked if the financial burden of tearing out and replacing the materials would fall on the district or taxpayers, Popejoy offered a clear guarantee.
“The district has been assured that the corrective work will be executed at no additional cost to the school district,” Popejoy told JRN.
For the school district, the main concern is how the rework will impact the overall project timeline. In a previous interview, Popejoy said that the addition was slated to be operational by fall 2026.
READ MORE: Valley View High School expansion to include new agriculture shop and dedicated storm shelter
Popejoy told JRN on Feb. 25 that since work on the materials is currently underway, it is unclear what kind of delay the extra work will cause.
Even if the setback pushes the project’s completion further into the 2026-2027 school year, Popejoy noted that the district is prepared. Because the original target was set for the middle of the fall semester, plans were already in place for serving students until the certificate of occupancy is received.
Popejoy deferred questions regarding the scope of the replacement work to C.R. Crawford Construction, the company overseeing the project. However, they declined an interview request to elaborate on the construction breakdown.
In a written response, President John Teeter directed inquiries back to the original Facebook post, adding that safety and quality remain their top priorities.
“We are committed to acting in the best interests of the school district and the Valley View community. We will continue to share updates if additional information becomes available,” Teeter wrote.
Popejoy confirmed that a project update will be a primary agenda item at the next school board meeting, which is scheduled to start at 5:30 p.m., March 2.
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