A fourth R for area schools: repairs

Yuma residents are still trying to repair damages left behind in the wake of the storm that hit the region on Thursday evening, including schools in Yuma Elementary District 1.

Teachers at O.C. Johnson School walked into their classrooms Friday morning to find flooding and serious roof damage. The more-than-50-year-old school also had damages to its cafeteria, where the shingles had been peeled back from the wind.

Superintendent Darwin Stiffler reported that Carver Elementary School also had damage to one of its classrooms.

He explained that the three classes of students at Carver and O.C. Johnson have been temporarily moved to unused and undamaged rooms until crews can fix the roofs and repair the classrooms.

Stiffler also commented that their maintenance staff has done a remarkable job and that there were local contractors at the schools ready to help by 7:30 a.m. Friday.

Annette Coffey, a fourth/fifth-grade teacher at O.C. Johnson whose classroom was affected, said the school day must go on, despite the fact that their classroom materials are currently in boxes.

She said that when she initially opened the door to assess the damages, her jaw dropped. Between the water damage and the hanging ceiling tiles, she had to gather all of her things but did not know where to start.

Christina Hall, another fourth-grade teacher at O.C. Johnson, explained that the damage was so devastating because of all of the money and time she had put into her classroom. She then said that after the students showed up to school that day, they helped her pull through it all. The students were anxious to help in any way that they could, she said.

Both teachers said that it is has been especially challenging to be displaced from their classrooms at this time because it is still the beginning of the school year and they had just barely begun implementing routines.

Stiffler estimated that repairs should be fixed within the week, but could take longer.

Sarah Reed can be reached at sareed@yumasun.com or 539-6858.