A serious flood has destroyed one classroom, left another unusable in the short term, and caused water damage throughout Myrtle Philip Community School.
"It is devastating, but it could have been worse," said school principal Ron Albertin of the Saturday afternoon flood.
The Howe Sound School Board has decided that the school will be closed on Monday March 20 th to allow restoration work to continue.
There will also be a meeting for concerned parents on Monday night at 7 p.m. at the school to discuss any issues arising from the flood.
It’s believed the flood was caused when a fitting on the main school water pipe separated. The pipe is about 20 cm in diameter, with water pressure of 175 psi. When the fitting failed it allowed up to two million litres of water to flood into the utility room, which contained the piping. The water quickly rose up the walls of the small room creating pressure on the walls. Shortly after the pipe burst the lower portion of a wall gave way, sending a torrent of water, drywall and insulation debris into the Grade 1 classroom. From there it leaked out under doors to contaminate the whole school.
If the flood had happened a day earlier the room would have been packed with six and seven year olds.
"I keep trying to envision what I would have done if that had happened," said Grade 1 teacher Susie Howe (McCance).
Luckily teacher Donna Williams was in the school when the flood happened. She sprang into action using carpets and whatever was at hand to prevent the water from heading into other classrooms, the community side of the building and down into the gym. She called for help and within 45 minutes the water was shut off, and restoration experts and firemen were on site.
"I had to tell myself to calm down," said Williams recalling her panic as she tried to find the phone numbers of school officials.
Once everyone was on the way she called Howe and together they checked out the Grade 1 classroom.
"The high water mark was at 35 inches, so it looked like a big swampy swimming pool in there with (toy) cubes, dominoes and paper all floating around," said Williams.
"It was just unbelievable to see a room that deep in water."
Howe had only left her classroom about 30 minutes before she got the call saying her room was flooded.
"(Williams) said, ‘get up here and put your galoshes on, your report cards are floating down the hall,’" said Howe, now able to laugh at the memory.
When she returned to the school she was met with a heart-breaking scene. Learning resources she had collected for more than 20 years were floating in the hallways, teaching toys were floating down a school path to the intermediate playground and the snow was littered with mementos.
Picture albums containing the photographs of students Howe has taught throughout her career lay warped and matting after being soaked in the flood.
"It is your heart and your soul," said Howe.
"I know it is difficult for other people to understand but it is about the memories and time that you put into making those things and making something that works for each class. It is not all stuff you can buy.
"I had over 600 children’s books that I have collected. Families have given me their books, and they were my own children’s books."
Most of the educational toys and resources that were lost Howe has bought herself over the years, while other items have been donated. Items like the well-worn, spring-weary couch adored by all her students was washed away. A popular reading spot, it was directly in the path of the flood. Gone too is the microwave, TV, VCR, bar fridge, and a karoake machine kids used to read their poems out loud.
Howe admits that it will take time to re-build her classroom resources. She plans to take stock of her needs and put up a wishing tree so she can focus on what she needs and how families can help.
An investigation is underway into how the pipefitting could have failed said Howe Sound School Board secretary treasurer Nancy Edwards.
"As part of the insurance claim there is always an investigation," said Edwards.
School Board insurance will cover the cost of the restoration currently being vigorously undertaken with beehive efficiency by On-Side Restoration. There is a $3,000 deductible.
Edwards said the school was built to code. It opened in 1992.
However, there has already been discussion of putting a significant concrete barrier up between the pipes and the classroom as part of the restoration work, to make sure children are safe should this ever occur again.
A motion detector alarm would have gone off if no one had been in the school to alert authorities to the flood.
The Grade 1 classroom will not be useable for the rest of the year and the majority of the restoration work will have to be done in the summer.
The kindergarten class will move to room #23 for a few weeks while cleaning and sanitizing work is undertaken in the original room.
Fortunately the water only rose a few inches in the library and computer labs so damage is minimal. Myrtle Philip just had a new computer lab installed two weeks ago.
Top of mind for Principal Albertin is bringing the kids back into a safe environment.
"The restoration workers have to ensure that the building is safe and by being safe that means humidity levels are down and everything is dried out so we don’t have future problems, and that is a matter of time," he said.
"We have to make sure we are ready for the kids to come in."
That means making sure everything is dried out and safe but it also means getting the teachers back into the school to set up their classrooms for teaching.
"Everything is in shambles, everything has been moved, all the carpets have to be cleaned and sanitized and this all takes time," said Albertin.
"Our main concern is that we need the building safe for the kids to come in."
