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Demolishing what's left of the Blacksburg High School gym will cost $209,000, according to a preliminary estimate from the Virginia Association of Counties released Friday.

VACO, which insured the high school for Montgomery County Public Schools, hired Interstate Restoration to begin the work, but a timeline for that process has not been established, according to an update from the school system.

School and building officials have estimated the cleanup could take months, and students are expected to finish the academic year outside the building.

Right now, plans are to rebuild the gym on site at Patrick Henry Drive, but details of that project have not been released publicly.

Both VACO and Interstate, which has offices in Richmond, still need to finalize contracts before demolition can begin. When it does, inspectors will be on hand to examine the rubble.

No demolition permit has yet been filed with the town of Blacksburg.

The school's gym collapsed Feb. 13. No one was injured in the collapse. Although at least four men were in the building at the time, they ran from the gym as it gave way.

Nonetheless, the incident has caused a series of ripples across the community, increasing traffic, disrupting sports schedules and changing families' lives.

Since Feb. 23, Blacksburg High students have attended evening classes at Blacksburg Middle School after the younger students leave for the day.

Students and teachers at both schools said they are trying to stay positive while adjusting to the changes.

Since teachers retrieved instructional materials the week after the collapse, town building officials have denied anyone access to the site, other than inspectors, saying it is unsafe.

While the collapse was limited to the gym, some steel beams in other parts of the school, particularly the auditorium, might also be compromised, Cathy Cook, the town building offiicial, has said.

However, Cook did allow maintenance workers access to the school beginning late last week to obtain items from students' lockers. They tagged items for students who then picked them up at the middle school.

The shift in bus schedules led school officials to cancel an early-release day for elementary school students in Blacksburg.