‘Absolutely devastating’: Dessie Scott School cleared to rebuild after January fire
WOLFE COUNTY, Ky. (ABC36 News Now) — The Dessie Scott School — a century-old building serving boys ages 12 to 21 with autism and developmental delays — was destroyed by a fire on Jan. 29, and now with the insurance company releasing the site, demolition and rebuilding can begin.
No one was injured in the fire, but for students who rely on routine and stability, the loss went far beyond bricks and mortar.
Joy Delisle, CEO for Buckhorn Children and Family Services, said the destruction was immediate and profound.
“[It was] absolutely devastating. Since then, we’ve really had the community rally around us and show us a lot of love and support,” Delisle said.
The students at Dessie Scott have developmental or intellectual disabilities, many of which have endured trauma, and all are in the care of the state. For them, the school is more than a place to learn.
Robert Creech, principal of Dessie Scott School, said the transition has been hard but the students have shown resilience.
“It’s just been tough getting kids into a new educational setting,” Creech said.
Delisle said the students have continued to show up despite the emotional weight of the loss.
“They are getting up every day, looking forward to school, continuing to go. Obviously there are times where they’re gonna have a breakdown, looking at the building, smelling the burning… but these kids are just amazing,” Delisle said.
Since the fire, classes have been held in the campus chapel. Powell County donated mobile school units to the Wolfe County School District, which then donated them to Dessie Scott. Those modular units are expected to provide relief for students while the rebuild process gets underway.
The school has also received support from the broader education community and state lawmakers.
“The community’s been great, teaching staff from other schools have been out to help us, offered their material, we’ve been to the state legislature several times to drum up funding for the new school,” Creech said.
Leaders say a permanent building is urgent — and that it must be designed specifically for their students’ needs.
“You can’t just put up a regular school; it has to be adapted for our clients to succeed here,” Creech said.
With the insurance company releasing the site and determining no cause of the fire, demolition can now begin. School leaders say they are looking at this moment not as a setback, but as an opportunity. Leaders envision a new facility with adaptive lighting, high-end acoustics, sensory integration, and possibly an outpatient wing for therapy. They plan to rebuild on the same site.
“The future is what we’re focused on, and being able to provide even better for these kids,” Delisle said.
Delisle hopes the rebuild can begin within the next few months. You can learn more about Buckhorn Children and Family Services and donate to Dessie Scott’s fundraising efforts here.
