PUEBLO — The Colorado Department of Education's Building Excellent Schools Today (BEST) grant is $3.4 million dollars. Pueblo School District 70 matched the grant with $4 million to make sure the renovations were possible.
The improvements are designed to protect the safety of more than 1,000 students and staff members.
Ronda Rein, the District 70 Superintendent says the building's condition affects more than just the structure itself.
“It's heartbreaking. Whenever you see a collapsed ceiling tile that that falls down on a desk of a teacher and it ruins everything on the desk. You know that's heartbreaking,” she said.
Pueblo County High School was built in the 1950's.
“Our ceiling tiles are coming down in different classrooms. Our roof is in desperate need of repair throughout the entire school. There are some sections that have been here for 48 years and have never been replaced,” she said.
Repairs on the roof could start as soon as this fall and the sewage system will begin at least by next summer.
In total, the district will be receiving $7.4 million that will go towards critical, life-safety infrastructure improvements at Pueblo County High School.
To learn more about the school's improvements, watch the video above.
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Tuesday afternoon update on the Oak Ridge Fire
Officials in Pueblo County Tuesday held a press conference where they said the Oak Ridge Fire had grown to a total of 495 acres Tuesday. All evacuation orders remain the same. The fire was first reported on Saturday.
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