Photo By Thomas Black | Contractors work on a new gymnasium for Duquesne Elementary School in the Joplin, Mo.,...... read more read more
JOPLIN, Mo. - As Joplin, Mo., residents rebuild their lives and their city months after the devastating May 22 tornado, school officials are working hard to ensure classrooms and other facilities are ready for the first day of classes Aug. 17.
Prior to the tornado, the Joplin School District had 7,747 students, said Assistant Superintendent Angela Besendorfer. As of July 22, the district had surveyed 5,089 students, and 396 stated they will not return for the 2011-12 school year.
There is normally some turnover due to families moving, Besendorfer said, and that appears to be the case this summer as only about half of the 396 said their decision was related to the tornado.
Eight schools were severely damaged or destroyed by the EF-5 tornado, and the district has approved a facilities plan dubbed
“Operation Rising Eagle” for leasing some facilities, remodeling others, and using temporary modular classrooms supplied by FEMA.
The Corps along with numerous contractors and architects hired by the school district are performing upgrades and modifications at the properties. Corps contractors have prepared temporary classroom sites with utility hookups and installed storm shelters. Storm shelters have been placed at six of the eight new school locations; the remaining two schools are located adjacent to functional existing storm shelters. The Corps will continue overseeing these projects until they are complete.
The Corps established the Joplin Recovery Field Office as part of the National Response Framework to support FEMA. That support includes removing debris, providing temporary housing, and replacing critical infrastructure – schools, fire stations and health clinics.
When the school year begins, Joplin’s students will have a new routine. The district has moved many of them to different campuses to attain greater efficiency in terms of matching needs with available facilities.
Under normal circumstances, relocating students to new buildings is a big enough challenge, but much more is involved in the present situation. The district must replace furniture such as desks and chairs, plus a variety of damaged or destroyed items, ranging from computers to chemistry lab stations to band equipment.
Besendorfer said it was challenging to thoroughly review detailed bid specifications “to be confident that we’re using the taxpayers money the best way that we can.”
Sean O’Donnell, the Corps’ critical public facilities mission manager, said it has been rewarding to help rebuild Joplin’s critical infrastructure, knowing this will help the city revitalize and redevelop.
“So many of the public service structures such as schools, fire stations and hospitals are catalytic in giving these people back their sense of home,” O’Donnell said, “in facilities where they can work, learn, build relationships and take care of each other. We are humbled to take part in this sincere mission for the people of Joplin.”
Two temporary fire stations have been constructed and are operational, and three schools are more than halfway completed. Besendorfer said classroom modules will be connected to each other, creating a school-like environment that facilitates interaction among the students and teachers.
“We provided a high quality education before the tornado, and we will again,” she said.
It will take about three years to construct a permanent structure for Joplin High School. Meanwhile, the school’s fall sports will take place; the football stadium escaped the tornado unscathed, but some training and practice facilities were damaged. The Sept. 8 season opener for the Joplin Eagles will be a major community event, Besendorfer said.
Looking back over the past couple of months, Besendorfer said she is grateful for the assistance provided to the district by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
“I’ve been extremely impressed by Corps staff and particularly Encer Shaffer,” she said, referring to a sanitary engineer from the New York District deployed to the Critical Public Facilities mission in June and July. “Encer was a good listener. He cares about our ability to provide the best school possible for our kids."
| Date Taken: | 07.25.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 07.25.2011 20:42 |
| Story ID: | 74311 |
| Location: | JOPLIN, MISSOURI, US |
| Web Views: | 369 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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