Polk County flags Babson Park first-grade building as unsafe; portables placed while engineering review proceeds

Babson Park Elementary’s first-grade building was declared unsafe by the Polk County School Board after school staff discovered split and cracked roof trusses during a summer inspection, administrators told the Lake Wales Charter Schools Board of Trustees on Sept. 22. Principal and system staff described actions taken: county facilities rekeyed the building; two first-grade classrooms were temporarily relocated to the music room, the STEM lab and a log cabin classroom; two portables were placed on the upper field and are awaiting inspection so classrooms can move into them. Administrators said engineering plans are under review and estimated repairs would likely take many months; the principal said it could be about an eight-month timeline depending on whether new trusses or a full roof replacement is required. Trustees asked whether response times and service levels matched those available to district-run schools; Babson Park staff said they maintain a good relationship with district maintenance and accepted that the scope of repairs will take time. No formal board action was taken; trustees were updated and asked for continued administrative follow-up and status reports.