PCSD No. 32
PERRYVILLE – Demolition will begin soon on the Perryville High School building that was damaged during a tornado that hit the Perry County School District 32 campus in March 2025.
District 32’s construction manager at risk, Brockmiller Construction, has advised a crew from Marschel Wrecking LLC will mobilize the week of June 15 and will begin demolition the following week.
Brockmiller estimates the demolition and debris removal will take 4-5 weeks to complete. Demolition was scheduled for the summer months while school is not in session to ensure campus safety, manage heavy equipment traffic, and prevent any disruption to student instruction.
The District 32 Board of Education agreed to proceed with demolishing a majority of the building, which suffered significant structural damage in the tornado. The cafeteria, band, and chorus classrooms will be salvaged and reused as part of a planned construction project for a new PHS facility.
“The start of demolition of the damaged high school building marks a vital step forward in our recovery journey,” said District 32 Superintendent Dr. Fara Jones. “We will have a blank canvas to create a high school facility that our students, staff, and the entire Perryville community can be proud of for decades to come.”
The construction of a new PHS facility is contingent on the passage of Proposition K.I.D.S. during the August 4 Primary Election. Prop K.I.D.S. will ask voters whether to allow the District to increase its operating tax levy by $0.2215 per $100 of assessed valuation, which will generate $35 million to help fund the project.
The District 32 Board of Education has agreed on a $60 million dollar budget for a PHS construction project. Alongside the $35 million from Prop K.I.D.S., the District plans to fund the remaining $25 million through contributions from insurance, District funds, and FEMA reimbursements. Architects are still working through specific designs to meet the proposed budget, but are planning a roughly 140,000 square-foot facility that would include 34 classrooms, a gymnasium, a library, and a multipurpose center.
See related: https://suntimesnews.com/district-32-receives-key-fema-designation-for-phs/
The north end of the PHS building, including the gymnasium, was originally built in 1956. The facility has had several expansions over the years, including one in 1965, one in 1970, and one in 1993.
The district originally planned to renovate the 1970 addition as part of the new PHS project. In preparation for those renovations, Toth Engineering performed X-rays of the structure in May to determine the best place to install ventilation for a Family and Consumer Sciences classroom. These scans revealed structural concerns that were exacerbated by the storm.
“Renovating the 1970 wing would have helped us reduce the overall cost of the project and provided much-needed transitional classroom space during the construction of the new facility,” Dr. Jones said. “This deeper analysis from the engineers let us know that is no longer a viable option and it will be more cost-effective to tear this space down and build new.”
District 32 has relied on temporary accommodations to house classes for PHS over the last year. PHS finished the 2025-26 school year with students and staff dispersed among Old Senior High, renovated portions of the damaged PHS building, and a rented tent structure commonly called “The Expo.”
“Even before the storm, our students and staff were making do in a facility that was no longer suited to modern instruction. Over the last year, they have demonstrated incredible adaptability, showing up each day to teach and learn in spaces that are less than ideal,” Dr. Jones said. “Now, we have a pivotal opportunity to stop just ‘getting by’ and start actively building. Together with our community, we can create the modern, safe, and sturdy home that our students and staff truly deserve.”