Demolition begins on two tornado-damaged Mount Juliet (Tenn.) schools

Demolition of two Wilson County (Tenn.) district schools has begun, almost 15 months after a tornado damaged them. 

West Wilson Middle School and Stoner Creek Elementary, in Juliet, Tenn. were hit by the March 2020 tornado. 

The district received a $53.7 million insurance settlement to rebuild the two schools, reports WZTV-TV. 

Donna Wright, the director of schools, said the insurance company wanted the school district to repair the buildings rather than replace them. Wright said that wasn’t feasible, because structural damage was widespread.

It’ll take more than a year to build replacement schools.

In the meantime, middle school students will be housed in other buildings across the district. Stoner Creek Elementary students will be in the undamaged wing of West Wilson Middle School, and in portable buildings on campus grounds.