Jones High School undergoes construction

JONES, Okla. - The Jones High School has come a long way since it was burned to the ground in December's ice storm.

The school building has been leveled and replaced with portables and everyone is preparing for school life during the transition.

A new cafeteria is being built, but it won't be quite ready for the first day of school. In fact, it won't be done until October, but students, faculty and staff are not letting that get them down.

Mallory Davis is a sophomore at Jones High School. She's got her bag packed and she's even got her outfit for the first day of school picked out.

Davis plans to make the most of the temporary portable situation at Jones High and so are the teachers. Ken Daugherty is a new teacher and coach at Jones and said he's trying to adjust.

"I'm excited," Daugherty said. "A new opportunity, first time being a head coach, so I'm excited."

Jennifer Beard is a returning teacher and is also grinning and bearing it.

"Portable classrooms, you know, they are never the ideal thing when you think of a school, but considering what happened to the school you have to have an alternative, and these really are nice facilities and they're working out well," Beard said.

Ground won't break on the new high school for a while and the building won't be ready until the spring of 2010. Until then students and teachers will have to deal with a fenced-off construction site, the weather and long walks between classes. It appears it won't put a damper on school spirit.

Until the cafeteria building is finished, Jones High School will be using the church across the street for their cafeteria needs just like they did last year.