Wind damages Silver Stage High School

SILVER SPRINGS -- Despite a fallen wall and minor damage caused by strong winds earlier this week, Lyon County school officials remain hopeful the new high school will be ready to open in August.

"There were just hellacious winds that caught us at the wrong time," said Superintendent Nat Lommori. "We're still rolling along with expectations to open this fall."

Building and insurance officials met Wednesday to discuss the steps necessary to ensure rapid and thorough completion of the school.

"Everyone with the right licenses, stamps and education are out there today to evaluate what happened," Lommori said.

Dave Regalado, who will serve as principal of the new high school, said workers will continue construction on other parts of the building until the sections of wall which were blown down Monday night can be repaired.

"I don't think we're going to have another wall fall down," he said. "All the appropriate precautions have been made. All this means is we will be moving to a different part of the school to complete the process."

Voters approved a $25 million bond issue in the 2000 election with $11 million to build the Silver Stage High School to serve students from Silver Springs and Stagecoach.

The area has an elementary and middle school but older students have had to either attend Fernley or Dayton high schools -- usually about two-thirds attend Fernley and the remaining one-third go to Dayton.

"Now, all these children will stay in their own community," Lommori said.

The school will open under the direction of Regalado, who left as principal of Dayton High School to take over leadership of Silver Stage High School.

"It's been an exciting thing for the people of Silver Springs and Stagecoach," Regalado said. "We have a community that is just in awe of what's happening."

He said parents and students often stop by the site right across the street from Silver Stage Middle School on Topaz and Spruce roads to monitor the progress.

The school will open in August with an expected 300 freshmen, sophomores and juniors. The school colors will be navy and silver with the school mascot a Nighthawk.

Former Dayton High School vice principal Teri White has taken over as principal in Dayton to allow Regalado time to prepare for the opening of the new high school.

"I've been working on getting staff and equipment ready for fall so on the first day of school, we're ready to get going and get after education," Regalado said.