News-Record.com

We found out late Monday that demolition had begun at Eastern Guilford. D.H. Griffin Wrecking Co. estimates it will take four to six weeks to clear the school, which was gutted by fire Nov. 1. And it will cost about $250,000.

No word yet on how the length of the demolition will affect the placement of modular classrooms - the so-called "pod village" - on a section of the school property to house students next school year. David Deatherage, vice president of D.H. Griffin, didn't know about that aspect of the work at Eastern. District officials either did not have information on the demolition or did not return our calls yesterday.

Apparently word spread quickly among students and the community. By lunch time, students had lined up outside the chain link fence across from what was the front of the school to watch workers scrape away pieces of crumbling concrete and rusty steel. The workers started separating the trash into piles, which will be taken to a local landfill.

Lisa Walker, an English teacher and yearbook adviser, stopped by with students to take photos by the school sign for the yearbook. They ended up pressed against the fence to watch the destruction, too.

"I think it's progress," Walker said. "And it's time to move on."

The district already has started the process of rebuilding the school.

The school board is expected to get an update on Eastern at tonight's meeting.