Shawnee Public Schools Shares Efforts To Recover From Tornado Damage

It's been six months since a mile-wide EF-2 tornado ripped through Shawnee, destroying several homes, businesses, and school buildings.  

Shawnee Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Aaron Espolt, said they’re still being rebuilt.

“We have a saying around here, it's ‘Shawnee Strong,’ but really when we're done, we want Shawnee stronger,” Espolt said.

 Espolt calls the latest construction projects across his district turning devastation into opportunity.

 “We lost 150 HVAC units across the district; seven of our eight roofs have to be replaced across the district, but the majority of the damage happened here at the high school,” Espolt said.

The storm hit every facility used for extracurricular activities at the high school.

 “Some of them are total losses; some of those are rebuilds,” Espolt said.

The storm left a huge hole in the wall of the Performing Arts and Athletic Center but he said they are making it work. 

Renovations should be done in time for the basketball season, but the Wrestling booster club stepped in to clean up the old high school gym to be used as a practice facility.

 “The community isn't going to survive without the school, and the school isn't going to survive without the community,” Epsolt said.

 Epsolt said they've accomplished a lot, and by the next school year, things should be looking back to normal.