Blanchard reopening pushed back to February

Blanchard Elementary students and teachers will have to wait longer than expected to return to their regular school building after the holiday break.

Today is the last day for classes in the Cape Girardeau School District until Jan. 4, the original date district officials had hoped to reopen Blanchard after cleaning and repairs from a fire were completed. The target date has now been pushed back to Feb. 1.

Superintendent Dr. Jim Welker said the delay comes from an inability to get the necessary equipment in the building in the time the district originally had allotted.

Neil Glass, director of administrative services, met Monday with contractors involved in the cleanup effort.

"What we are dealing with is that companies that would be producing lighting fixtures, HVAC equipment and heating and ventilation often shut down this time of year and do their inventory," Glass said.

Contractors won't be able to make repairs without that equipment, he said.

The Dec. 6 fire began in a teacher workroom. According to the state fire marshal's office, the cause of the fire is undetermined. Investigators previously said the possible cause could have been an overheated copier. The workroom contained the copier, a washer and dryer and a kitchenette with a stove, oven and microwave.

"The copier is one of several things that it could have been, but I can't say for sure," Glass said. The district's insurance company is conducting its own investigation and has not yet released its findings.

The overall cost of the fire, including repairs, extra transportation to another location for classes and displacement of students from the school, could total nearly $1 million, Glass said.

Insurance will cover most of those costs, as well as the cost to replace materials that had to be discarded from sustaining smoke damage or absorbed smells from the fire.

Most damage to the school was contained to three hallways in the center of the school that had closed fire doors. The room where the fire began sustained heavy fire damage, and adjoining rooms and hallways sustained smoke damage.

The fire destroyed items for a PTO-sponsored program that allowed all of the school's students to earn cards for good behavior that they could use to get gifts for their families or friends.

Word spread quickly in the community that there might not be a "holiday store" for the students this year, prompting "more stuff than I have ever seen," come as donations to Lynwood Baptist Church for a makeshift store, said Jackee Collins, a former Blanchard employee who helped some of the school's teachers organize the event held this week for students to choose gifts. Classes have been held at the church since the Friday following the fire.

Collins said she posted information on donating items for the store to Facebook on Sunday and boxes were placed at the church for people to drop off items.

Children were limited to choosing two items in the past, such as a picture frame or candle for a parent or grandparent or small toy for a friend or sibling.

"There's been so much stuff donated we have a table for a third gift," said Suzanne Hiett, a parent who helped organize the store Wednesday.

Gina Herzog took her fourth-grade class through the store Wednesday morning. She said the response of the community's donations was overwhelming.

"Random people would just drive up to the door and drop things off," she said. "It was great."

Her student Madyson Knupp shopped for gifts for her younger and older sisters. She picked out a lotion and perfume set for her 11-year-old sister.

"She's really going to like this one," she said.

While having classes at the church has been a big change for the students, Hiett said she believes they have adjusted well and have stayed on track with their studies.

"The teachers have had to come up with a few extra activities, but as far as I can tell, it has all gone well," she said.

The district chose to hold classes at the church because it had enough available space for classes, a kitchen and cafeteria and other amenities. The church has allowed use of the facility at no charge to the school district.

eragan@semissourian.com

388-3627

Pertinent address:

301 N. Clark Ave., Cape Girardeau, MO