MEDFORD, Ore. (Feb. 9, 2026) — Nearly a year after the sudden collapse of the gymnasium at North Medford High School, district leaders say reconstruction is officially underway and that the campus is moving closer to a modernized facility designed to better serve students and the broader community.
“Nearly one year ago, our North Medford High School community experienced an unexpected and deeply difficult moment with the collapse of the gymnasium,” school officials said in a statement. “Over the past year, our students, staff, and families have demonstrated incredible resilience and flexibility. Our facilities, construction, and school leadership teams have worked closely alongside contractors, insurance providers, and architects to move this project forward. By no means has the reality of this aftermath been easy, but we are deeply appreciative that this is the community we are moving through this rebuild with.”
Early construction work is now underway, including underground demolition and drainage improvements, which officials say will help keep the project on schedule. Crews are expected to increase activity on campus in the coming weeks as they begin building the foundation for the new gymnasium.
“When complete, this space will be far more than a replacement,” the district said. “The new gym will be a modernized, welcoming facility designed to better serve students and the community, with updated entrances, ADA accessibility with an elevator, updated restroom facilities, and a redesigned lobby that will include a digital alumni recognition center.”
Officials credited collaboration among school leaders, facilities staff, architects, engineers and construction partners for keeping the project moving forward.
“We are truly grateful to everyone who has helped carry this work forward,” the district said, noting that in less than a year it was able to build and furnish a new athletic facility on campus — the Field House — to provide students and teams a place to train and practice while the gym remains out of service.
“To our families across the district and our resilient NMHS staff– thank you for your patience, flexibility, and continued pride, even through disruption and uncertainty,” the statement said. “To our Oakdale, McLoughlin, and Hedrick communities– thank you for opening your doors and sharing your spaces so our athletic programs could carry on with their seasons and continue providing students with meaningful opportunities. And to our community partners and supporters– thank you for continuing to show up for our students.”
School leaders said the gym rebuild is expected to be completed in 2027, though an exact date has not yet been confirmed.
“As 2026 arrives, I am happy to report that there is an abundance of good news regarding our gymnasium ‘rebuild’,” the district said. “We are raising the roof and preparing for a new space that will be more inviting with updated entries, new restroom facilities, and a digital alumni recognition center in our newly designed lobby!”
“Our district team, along with contractors and architects, has developed an early work package that will speed up the actual finish date,” the statement continued. “This early work project, which consists mostly of drainage and underground demolition, will begin soon, and our team is very excited because this step puts us ahead of schedule regarding the expected completion date (exact date not yet confirmed). Construction crews are on site again, and we are looking forward to watching them build the foundation for our future gymnasium. In the next few weeks, there will be more activity and heavy equipment showing up on campus. I look forward to sharing photos of the work in the coming weeks.”
In addition to the gym rebuild, officials announced upgrades to the new Indoor Field House, including the installation of indoor turf. That project was made possible through community fundraising and donations, including support from The West Family Foundation and The Black Tornado Club.
“Our auction back in the fall of 2025 raised more than $30,000, and a portion of that will be used to complete the indoor turf installation,” the district said.
“Thank you for standing with the Black Tornado community and showing every day that MSD is a resilient community.”
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