Mid-Prairie is now accepting bids for repairs to the middle school’s foundation. The school noticed cracks in the wall and separation between bricks in September 2016. In the following months the separation began to increase in size. Shive-Hattery, the architecture engineering firm hired by the district, presented findings of foundation damage on the northwest side of the building. The damage is where the gym sits.

The damage is caused by fat clays in the soil, which expand and regress based on the moisture in the ground. Over time this weakens the soil, causing the foundation to sink. The project will include installing helical screw anchors so the foundation rests on the anchor as opposed to the dirt.

The goal is to begin construction as soon as students are done in June and the project should be completed by the time school resumes in the fall. Shive-Hattery estimates the project will cost between $180,000-$200,000.