The Ashland (Oregon) School District has been forced to move several programs out of a 99-year-old facility after an inspection by the city fire marshal uncovered severe structural problems.
Ashland.news reports that because of the emergency closure of Lincoln School, the alternative education program “Thoreau and Catalyst,” as well as two other specialized programs, Ashland Schools Foundation, the district’s wellness center, and use of the gym for high school club wrestling practices will need to relocate.
Classes begin Monday for the 2025-26 school year.
The inspection found a significant shift in the building’s structure in the northeast wing of the building that could cause “catastrophic failure” of the 1926 building.
Joseph Hattrick, superintendent of Ashland School District, said the district is developing a plan to help teachers remove their materials safely.
“As superintendent of the school district, as fire marshal, we both agreed that life is far more important than risks,” Hattrick said, “which is why we’re not willing to take a risk. We’re not willing to gamble on this decision.”
After the inspection uncovered potential structural problems, Chris Brown, principal architect at Arkitek, was brought in help assess the situation. He said he noticed a “significant shift” of about 2 to 3 inches in the building. .
“That shift could potentially lead to catastrophic failure of the building in its entirety,” he told the school board.
The original Lincoln School building was constructed in 1926 and the most recent addition was built in 1961, according to school board records. Lincoln School closed in 2005 because of declining district enrollment.
