This story is an update to Liang’s reporting in April 2025.
On the rain-lashed evening of Mar. 14, 2025, a category EF-2 tornado wrenched through Rolla, devastating homes, storefronts, and school buildings. A year after calamity, Rolla Public Schools has just begun to repair some of the widespread storm damage on its facilities.
RPS Assistant Superintendent Dr. Monica Fulton addressed the Rolla Board of Education on long-range facility planning and tornado recovery during a meeting on Jan. 8.
“We have had a whirlwind of a month and a lot of things are underway. It’s really exciting in our district. The Early Childhood Center is getting ready to cut the floor to put in the plumbing for the kitchen and the restrooms,” Dr. Fulton said.
Working alongside on-site contractors, RPS is hoping to open the Early Childhood Center in August. As part of a district-wide project, more contractors are currently renovating the Rolla High School football field, which has been worn down by time rather than the tornado.
“They have gone in and torn up and taken out part of the turf. We will be replacing all of this to address drainage off of the bleachers, then putting the fence back. We have actually addressed issues in the parking lot over Christmas break and put in two more culverts [embedded drains] up there to handle the amount of water that comes in during rainy times,” Dr. Fulton said. “Then we have to replace all the light heads because we’re replacing all the lighting. It will take a day to replace each pole; there’s about fourteen poles there. So it’ll be about three weeks of work to replace all the lighting in there.”
The tornado’s impact was far-reaching and intense, notably affecting the softball field to the point of unusability last year. This district lighting and renovation project will extend beyond just the RHS football field.
“You will see new lighting at the football field, the baseball field, and the soccer field as well. We’re waiting on the fencing to come in and for work to get started on the softball field; we have to fence that off because the middle school uses that area to play, but that is underway as well. A lot of it depends upon the turf and when we can get the grass established and healthy enough for play. Our turf has outlived its life, and it is time to make that new because we don’t want any injuries on that turf,” Dr. Fulton said.
All this work is tornado-related and encompasses the addition of new dugout roofs, concessions and pressbox facilities, a replaced scoreboard, and more. Construction should be completed before the end of the current school year.
Bids on tornado recovery work for the heavily storm-affected Mark Twain Elementary were placed on Jan. 14. Construction is expected to be completed next spring.
“We did receive official word that the insurance will replace, of course, the cafeteria storm shelter, but they will also pay to replace all the windows facing Salem Avenue. That could mean two additional classrooms,” Dr. Fulton said.
During another meeting on March 17, Dr. Fulton delivered a general construction update.
“We’ve had some weather, so we haven’t made as much progress, but we’re working with the company. We have made a lot of recovery in the last year,” Dr. Fulton said. “Thanks to our insurance company and thanks to our community for all that they have done in this time of restoration. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.”
During another meeting on March 17, the board approved a sum of $18,639.50 to improve electric and lighting on the RHS football field. Additionally, the Mark Twain and softball field repairs will cost $7.5 million. Dr. Fulton delivered a general construction update.
“We’ve had some weather, so we haven’t made as much progress, but we’re working with the company. I think, a year ago, we were all pretty numb from all everything that occurred. At this point last year, we were still probably without showers and power. We have made a lot of recovery in the last year and, hopefully, by this time next year, I will stand before you with all of the buildings being back complete,” Dr. Fulton said. “But I will tell you we are much more fortunate than many school districts around to be as far as we are. So thanks to our insurance company and thanks to our community for all that they have done in this time of restoration. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.”
