Gymnasium floors, tennis courts, drainage and landscaping remain on district’s list of outstanding work

By Nicole Bowman-Layton

EDENTON — Nearly nine months after students moved into the new John A. Holmes High School, Edenton-Chowan Schools officials are still working to resolve several construction-related problems, including a buckling auxiliary gymnasium floor, discoloration of the main gym floor, drainage issues and repairs to the tennis courts.

Superintendent Tammi Ward provided an update during the Board of Education’s Oct. 20, 2026, meeting, telling members that construction-related work is beginning to wind down. However, several repairs have not yet been completed to the district’s satisfaction, prompting questions from board members about whether contractors have adequately addressed the problems.

We will cover more of the story in other articles, to be published later.

Students began attending classes in the new building Jan. 26, following approximately three years of operating from temporary locations while the new campus was constructed. The approximately $82.4 million project replaced the former high school with a modern facility incorporating academic classrooms, career and technical education spaces, athletic facilities and a performing arts center.

In an Oct. 15 interview with the Albemarle Observer, Ward said construction itself was complete, but the district continued working through punch-list items and landscaping concerns.

“So construction itself is completed,” Ward said at the time. “We are continuing to work through punch lists, and then we have some more landscaping issues that we are following up on.”

Gymnasium floors remain under review

Among the most significant concerns is the auxiliary gymnasium floor, where buckling has been observed.

Ward said contractors attempted a corrective measure, but an inspection conducted Oct. 14 indicated the issue had not been fully resolved.

During the board discussion, a member questioned whether the contractor was responsible for fixing the problem and whether additional work was still being considered.

Ward acknowledged that the initial repair had not produced satisfactory results.

“Right now, we’re not pleased with what that is looking at,” Ward said, according to the meeting transcript.

She indicated that discussions were already underway about possible additional corrective measures.

The main gymnasium’s wood floor is also being monitored because of discoloration, described during the meeting as “ambering.”

Board members asked whether the discoloration was improving, and officials indicated that the floor was showing progress.

The district expects to conduct a final walkthrough in late November or early December to determine whether the corrective work is satisfactory or whether additional repairs will be necessary.

Tennis courts and drainage need additional attention

The school’s tennis courts also remain on the repair list.

Ward reported that one area of the blue playing surface had not been adequately corrected during an earlier repair. The contractor is expected to return and address the problem.

Drainage concerns are another outstanding issue.

Photographs documenting erosion in a drainage swale have been forwarded to the contractor for review and comment. The swale is designed to collect and direct stormwater runoff, and Ward indicated that the affected area is believed to be near the multipurpose field and surrounding driveway.

Additional work may be required to correct the erosion.

Landscaping, lighting and accessibility work

Landscaping along North Broad Street is progressing, with Bermuda grass beginning to establish itself. However, bare areas remain, and some sections need additional attention.

Trees that did not survive the initial planting are expected to be replaced within the next several weeks.

The district is also reviewing a change order to relocate trees planted too close to the building. Ward explained that action on the change order had been delayed while officials evaluated other outstanding construction work.

Other exterior repairs include peeling paint on the canopy at the school’s main entrance along Broad Street.

Some exterior lighting fixtures have also been returned for repairs or replacement, including fixtures associated with the school’s signage.

Inside the building, an accessibility chairlift component for the auditorium’s lighting booth has arrived and is awaiting installation.

Once installed, the equipment must undergo a state inspection, followed by training before it can be placed into service.

During the discussion, officials also indicated that the district’s maintenance department would complete a separate portion of the exterior signage work rather than pay the contractor’s proposed cost.

Questions remain about final repairs

Although Ward characterized the remaining construction work as winding down, board members’ questions about the gymnasium floors underscored that some repairs have not yet been accepted as satisfactory.

The district did not provide a total cost for the outstanding corrective work during the presentation. Officials also did not specify which repairs are covered by existing construction contracts or warranties, or whether any additional costs could fall to the school system.

The planned late-November or early-December walkthrough will provide another opportunity for officials to evaluate the remaining work, particularly the gymnasium floors.

For now, the new high school is occupied and operating, but the district’s work to resolve construction-related issues continues.