It was a week before winter break, when the school’s fire alarm forced students out of the building when a fire sprinkler was damaged in the auditorium.

This resulted in downpour of water, flooding the auditorium and causing significant damage.

Since then, the auditorium has been undergoing repairs.

“The repair process has actually been going pretty fast,” band director Jamie Weaver said. “The day after they already got rid of the stage. we’ve laid down brand new surface of the stage. you can see behind us that they’re finishing with sanding, sealing, and staining the hardwood and we’re within a few days, so about a 3 to 4 week turnaround for the whole thing.”

With the auditorium unavailable, many programs on campus needing that space have made adjustments.

“It’s been hard,” theatre director Heather Willingham said. “Not just for theatre but for band, orchestra, everyone because we’re all going into UIL, and this is a big time of year for that. so, we’ve had to really make adjustments, but as far as I know everyone’s been sharing and working well with each other to make it happen.”

Workers have been sealing, sanding, and staining the hardwood stage; the results of which have been smelt throughout campus.

“In this area actually the paint smell has been less than in other parts of the building ,” Weaver said. “And the reason being the back door is open blowing air through here as the workers are coming in and out. It was pretty strong in the auditorium the day that they were painting but it really hasn’t affected much of what’s going on down here.”

Unsure whether the auditorium will be open for the talent show scheduled on February 1st , Willingham is making adjustments.

“Well for right now, we’re going to have the auditions in my theatre room, and then I don’t know about the talent show,” Willingham said.  “We are scheduled for the [February] 1st right now. If we don’t have a stage by that point, we might have to move it a couple of weeks, so I’m not sure. I’m hoping that it’ll be ready and that we’ll be able to do it, but we might have to make some adjustments.”

I’m Neha Perumalla reporting for Wingspan TV.