2008-Jul-25 - Schools Rush to Fix Flood Damage

Posted at: 07/22/2008 04:31:50 PM

Updated at: 07/22/2008 06:51:19 PM

By: Jackie Orozco

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Schools Rush to Fix Flood Damage

(ABC 6 NEWS) - Teachers are preparing to welcome students intotheir classrooms in about a month, but will flood damaged schoolsbe ready?

Estimates are in and the floods will cost the school district about$75,000 in repairs.

And a lot of those repairs are especially needed for John AdamsMiddle School.

The Mason City School District Superintendent says the concretedriveway near the alternative school is one of the many thingsalready repaired after the June floods.

The school got hit the worst.

John Adams Middle School is on the north end of the building, whichstill doesnt have electricity.

Now they're fixing the electricity to began cleaning the poolbefore school starts and before August 18 when the high schoolgirls swimming team is scheduled to hold its first practice.

John Adams Principal says they're re-organizing a few things toprevent future damage.

"[The] main work has been on the transformer and we're going torelocate the transformer to the ground level instead of being downat the basement, says T.J. Jumper.

The transformer alone costs more than $45,000 to repair.

And since day one of the floods there's been non-stop work on theschool.

"A lot of scrambling, a lot of work and a lot of efforts fromAlliant Energy and construction folks and our staff to get thingsready for school, says Dr. Anita Micich.

The school district says its optimistic about everything beingready for the upcoming school year.

The superintendent says their number one goal is to get power fullyrestored at the middle school and at the alternative school withinthe next couple of weeks.

School is scheduled to be back in session on August 20.