Scorched School Back on Track

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Story Published: Jun 20, 2008 at 5:04 PM PDT

By Rudabeh Shahbazi

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BOARDMAN-- Students at Sam Boardman Elementary have something to celebrate. After last year's devastating fire, they had to go to other schools.

It's taken a year, but now the school is up and better than ever.

"It just feels so good to have it behind us," said Jacque Johnson, the school's principal. "To be ready for a new school year without having to rebuild."

It's been almost a year since a light fixture in the library caught fire, causing smoke damage that ruined most of the building.

"When I watched Hurricane Katrina, I thought, oh, these poor people!" said math teacher Pam Files. "That's just awful to lose their school. And then we had our fire, and I thought, oh my God."

She says it took teachers a whole year to figure out what they lost, let alone get back on their feet.

"Before, we'd have the idea, the paper products, and nothing else to support that," said Files. "No paint, no brushes. Now, I have the idea, the book is in the file, and I have everything I need."

Luckily, the school had a great insurance policy to replace those books, and an even better community. Costco donated matching backpacks for all the students. Community members helped as well.

"That was another God send," said Files. "It was just wonderful to have that kind of support, way out beyond where you usually think."

"Going through a significant event, we are all much closer," said Johnson. "We've bonded as a team, we've supported each other in ways that we never anticipated."

The tragedy gave them an all-new school and improved supplies, and it also taught teachers some valuable lessons to pass on to their students.

"It's much easier to remember, be compassionate when bad things happen to other people, and be patient with yourself as you recover from bad things happening to you," said Files.

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