KINGSPORT, Tenn. — The Kingsport Board of Education approved a design for the planned renovation of the Buck Van Huss Dome and the timeline for a superintendent search at a meeting Tuesday.
The board voted unanimously to approve a roughly $20 million dollar plan to install a steel roof beneath the existing wood. They also voted unanimously to approve a timeline for hiring a new superintendent.
Architects from firm Thompson-Litton were initially hired in summer 2021 to re-roof all of the buildings on campus, but they discovered threats to the structural integrity of the dome’s wooden roof.
After confirming the results of their testing with Idaho-based Dome-Technologies in November, Thompson-Litton prepared renovation plans to present to the board.
Board members voted unanimously to reinforce the existing roof with steel, keeping its appearance intact.
The building will be out of commission for about sixteen months—which means now is a good time to update the 55 year old structure.
“You’re not going to be in the building for the next ten years so if you’re going to make changes and you’re going to renovate, now is the time to do it,” said Brian Alderson of Thompson-Linton.
Architects said the detailed plan should be finished by June next year.
In the meantime DB will athletics is making itself at home on the former campus of Sullivan North High School — now called the Tribe Athletic complex.
School officials said the building is on track to open for the first game of basketball season Friday.
SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH
The board unanimously authorized the Tennessee School Board Association’s to move forward with conducting a superintendent search, an effort board members had previously attempted to make silent.
They plan to conduct finalist interviews between February 20 and 24 and hope to announce a final pick by March 3.
Former superintendent Dr. Jeff Moorhouse resigned in August, citing Governor Bill Lee’s new funding formula for schools as an aggravating factor.
