Orcas Elementary: Water, Water Everywhere

— by Margie Doyle —

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Superintendent Eric Webb points to the “culprit” faucet that was stuck on, causing the elementary school flood of thousands of gallons of water last weekend.

Sometime over Mother’s Day weekend a Rube Goldberg-like scenario was set in motion at Orcas Island’s Elementary School: piled-up cardboard boxes in a second-floor janitor’s closet shifted over to trip the faucet; the drain got plugged; the water kept flowing until Sunday, May 10, some 10,000 gallons of it.

And where did it go? Oh pretty much everywhere, down through the two sub-floors, through the linoleum, through the ceiling, down through the carpeting, in between floor surfaces, under cabinets and carpets, sucked into and down the walls, all the time shifting slighting to the west on the “north addition” (1990) to the Nellie Milton Elementary Building.

Earlier this week, Superintendent Eric Webb led Orcas Issues on a “shock and awe” tour through the north portion of the elementary building. Now that he’s had a little time to absorb the shock, he’s impressed with the ways in which people have responded —  workers like the Fire and Rescue Department, Mayfair Carpet Company (“They really came to the rescue that Sunday after the flooding was discovered; they worked til 9:30 and filled the tank on their van four times, and were back the next morning at 7.”) OPALCO, Kevin Loomis, electrician; and neighbors like Jim and Betsy Nelson.

Water damage experts Serve-Pro came on Monday, and they’re still there, with pumps, heaters,  dryers, dehumidifiers, meters and other necessary equipment to dry out the structure.

Monday, May 11 there was no school — for the kids. Webb says, “Monday was moving day — the teachers did that.” Island Market brought in food for all the staff and teachers, who pitched in to make the students’ classrooms ready for school on Tuesday. Teachers, administration and staff continue to move supplies from the scene of the great deluge. “I couldn’t ask them for more support than they’ve already given,” says Webb.

Glenda Smith’s kindergarten class moved into the modular library behind the district offices, Kim Freeman’s 6th grade class moved into the Farm to Cafeteria classroom on the second floor. Nancy Wahlstorm’s special ed classroom moved into the Title I classroom on the second floor, and Suzanne McClure’s room moved to the former counseling office on the first floor. Margie Sabine’s PIP office moved into the administration building.

What’s making all the racket? It’s the Serve-pro dehumidifier making sure the moisture from the Mother’s Day flood is removed from the “North addition” to the elementary school

The top priority now is to get the moisture out, so mold can’t develop.  After the drying out process is completed, reconstruction will begin.

Webb apologizes for the noise of the dehumidifying operations, but says it’s unavoidable for the next week or two, pulling out anything that’s wet.

The noise and machinery involved in this unexpected construction project will “eventually go away.”  Now the goal in September is to have the 1990 addition be “Brand new… the silver lining is we’re getting new paint, flooring, walls and tiles,” Webb says.

Supt. Webb describes how the water trickled down from the second floor to the main floor of Nellie Milton Elementary School’s north addition, built in 1990.

This repair incident has turned into a bigger construction project, which is all covered by insurance through the state Risk Management Pool.

Silver lining or no, life goes on. Webb says with a proud smile that everyone “has rolled up their sleeves and gotten to work to do what’s necessary. After the school closed on Monday, the next day the kids were in their new classrooms like they’d been there for years. The parents have been so cooperative.”

He asks for patience, and that parents, staff and school visitors be aware of the noise and trucks. The teachers are taking advantage of the good weather and bringing the classes outside. He says it’s fortunate the damage to the school  didn’t happen in October or February.

Orcas schools’ Executive Assistant Cathy Ferran mentions that in Webb’s former school district in Oklahoma they are dealing with tornadoes, destruction of homes, loss of life AND flooding. “It gives us some perspective,” she says. “The staff has been remarkable, particularly Glenda Smith, who’s moved her kindergarten class and is handling it all with great aplomb.”

And all the testing that’s scheduled for May? That goes on, says Webb, along with concerts, prom, projects, dinners and awards. Education continues.