The Christian County Public Schools Board of Education spent Thursday night taking in a critical update on construction for the new Christian County High School, before approving a major expenditure regarding the district’s future in police safety.
Tim Geeghan, Alliance Corporation, said they are pushing for temporary certificate of occupancy — within the next two weeks — so that officials could start moving in furniture and other belongings onto the premises.
Walls and ceilings are currently being installed in the “Hall of Champions,” while landscaping is already going into place — with inside and outside looks already “taking shape.”
Social stairs have already been installed in the Media Center, covered in ceramic tile, while the band room already has its waffle effect ceiling and sound panel walls installed at an acoustic-graded level.
The automotive shop floors, he added, came out “very, very nice, and with a lot of color,” while being a durable, workable surface.
Geeghan also confirmed that the new campus has five elevators that are “all functional,” with finalization likely coming in the next week.
At the suggestion and, later, request from Director of School Safety and Security’s Clayton Sumner, board members unanimously approved a $351,000 bid for eight new cars in the CCPS Police Department fleet.
Sumner said the combination of Superintendent Chris Bentzel, board member Lindsey Clark, and local legislators Myron Dossett, Walker Thomas, Jason Petrie and Craig Richardson, helped earn significant state appropriations not only for district patrol cars — but also for more officers, bringing the campus department to 16.
Clark confirmed that, as sworn officers, their main focus will be the safety of students, faculty and staff within the school’s confines, but that they will have acting authority in Christian County, should the need arise.
Sumner also clarified that these monies don’t impact the school’s general fund.
In other district news:
+ Board members approved more than 30 line items for across the district, including: an advanced coursework coordinator at the high school, learning tables for moderate and severe disabilities rooms at the high school, kitchen equipment for culinary arts and the new cafeteria, arena-style basketball goals for the auxiliary and main gyms, wall vinyls and graphics through Lexington’s Instant Signs, choral risers for the high school, LED scorers and media tables from Nevco, 150-plus staff laptops for the high school, as well as lock prices for lubricants, antifreeze, gasoline, diesel fuel, mulch, copy paper audit services, drug testing, athletic uniforms, paint, paint services, wrecker services, mowing services and more.
+ Board members also approved only two minor changes to student fees during the 2026-27 academic year: a new $25 surcharge for an up-and-coming Photography Club, as well as a $10 increase for Key Club members — due to the rising costs of travel and other amenities.
