The outside look of the new high school and career academy for the Greene County School District, may not end up looking like a traditional school building.

School Board member Dr. Steve Karber mentioned at the most recent school board meeting that they are planning on using prefabricated concrete walls-instead of masonry materials-for the exterior part of the structure. Superintendent Tim Christensen explains why the committee is looking into that possibility.

“Not as many people are going into the trades as they previously did. So somebody willing to lay brick and everything is harder and harder to find. Also weather is a factor in that. So again we’re really looking at precast tipup panels. That’s what was used on the casino, and people may be able to equate that. That’s something that kind of speeds up construction a little bit and also helps to control costs and takes away weather as a factor as well.”

Christensen anticipates that by August there will be conceptual drawings released by OPN Architects of the project plans. He hopes to bid the overall project in January or February of 2019 with construction of the $35.48-million project to start next spring.