Leaky ceiling disrupts Lexington high school. ‘We have run out of buckets.’

The ceiling at Paul Laurence Dunbar High School leaked so severely during Thursday’s rain that assistant principal Robbie Barnes told staff the school had run out of buckets to catch the water.

The school remains open, but students may need to take alternate routes to classes because of leaks in front of classroom doors.

Myron Thompson, chief operating officer for Fayette County Public Schools, told staff in a letter Thursday that “an ongoing bird problem had resulted in leaks in recent years.”

The roof is old and needs to be replaced, Thompson said, but it’s still under service warranty until 2026. The district expects to replace the roof next year, he said.

In a message to staff, Barnes said the gym, gym foyer, band hallway and another hallway were “leaking very heavy.”

“Center of cafe is pouring now,” he wrote. “We have run out of buckets.”

At an open house for parents Thursday night, multiple rooms on the top floor of the school were littered with buckets and trash cans, many still containing water from the earlier rains.

A large section of the cafeteria was cordoned off with yellow caution tape surrounding trash cans, half of a family and consumer sciences room was occupied by giant trash cans, and the hallway between the gym and theater had rows of buckets and a mop from cleanup.

Thompson said the district has worked with a warranty company to conduct biweekly inspections and make repairs as necessary. The roofing company was on site the week of August 11 and saw no damage to roof seams.

But during heavy rains Thursday, more issues emerged. Thompson said they would be addressed Friday morning.

Until the roof is replaced next year, Thompson said district officials will continue to inspect and manage the roof for leaks, work to resolve the issue and prevent “further disruptions.,” he said.

The leaks come as the district faces a budget crisis, including a $16 million budget shortfall and a dwindling contingency fund.

District spokesperson Miranda Scully said the leaks were not related to the budget problems.

‘The FCPS team, along with the faculty and staff, is working together to address leaks that appeared during the recent rains. District and campus leaders are working together to both assess the needs of the campus and provide remedies for immediate needs while planning for a long term solution,” she said.

Herald-Leader staff writer Janet Patton contributed.

This story was originally published September 5, 2025 at 12:24 PM.