It’s getting closer.

Administrators say the end is near for construction of the new junior high building on the south end of the current Kingfisher High School campus.

“We’re definitely close,” said Kingfisher Middle School Principal Keith Campbell, who will be the principal of the seventh and eighth grade center once it’s complete.

However, nobody can put an exact date on when it will be ready for students to begin roaming the hallways, just that it will be this school year.

“Setbacks and delays on large projects like this are inevitable,” Campbell said. “We hope we don’t see anymore, but nobody can guarantee it.”

The school was originally on schedule to be ready for the beginning of the second semester of this school year.

Managers with Joe D. Hall Construction, the firm that serves as the construction manager for the project, told Kingfisher Board of Education members multiple times that they began this building process at just the right time.

The onset of COVID-19 disrupted the supply chain and has put major delays on a lot of projects and halted others.

However, Kingfisher appeared to be ahead of that curve.

That was until a kitchen vent hood was damaged beyond repair during installation.

A new one had to be ordered.

“I can’t tell you how far back that set us,” Campbell said.

Currently the district is waiting on computers for the building. However, Campbell said, even if they aren’t all delivered in a timely manner, it won’t keep the building from opening once the construction portion is done.

Outside of that, all furniture has been delivered.

The seventh grade wing of the building, which includes the built-in storm shelter, has already been professionally cleaned.

Various appliances in the kitchen serving area and teacher workroom still require installment.

Construction on the retaining wall on the building’s west side is set to begin this week and should take about a month.

If and when the school is ready, the completion of the retaining wall won’t delay its opening, Campbell added.

As part of the project, new parking spaces were added to the east of the front entrance of the APB, which sits just north of the new building.

That lot was recently completed and was used by patrons during the recent Buckle of the Wheatbelt Invitational basketball tournament.

He also said an “open house” will be scheduled after the building is turned over to the school.

“We’re ready for people to see it,” Campbell said. “This is a really nice building and it’s one our community can be proud of. We’re ready to get over here and have the students experience it as well.

“It’s going to be a great addition to our district.”