Just one month after Prairie Home R-V School sustained damage from a severe storm that moved through the area June 4, Mother Nature struck Monday, July 7, and the facility was damaged once again.
"Obviously it's been terrible luck," Prairie Home Superintendent Steven Barnes said. "I can't believe it happened twice. It's definitely set us back with the school year about to start. We had electricians hired to do work for the first storm damage, but now they're working on this project, instead of the original one they were hired for."
Damage from the June 4 storm was the result of a microburst that ripped off the roof over the elementary wing of the school.
The July 7 storm produced straight winds over 65 mph, which resulted in more roof damage to the facility.
"The roof over the stage almost blew off during the first storm," Barnes said. "Then it did during the second storm."
"The roof over the stage and locker rooms was ripped off, and landed on the music room, also damaging some power cables in the process," Prairie Home Principal Patrick Tray said. "A beam went through the music room wall, and the gym floor, which was just resurfaced last summer, got wet. We're trying to dry it out now. The stage curtains were damaged and will probably have to be replaced. Also, we've been in the process of re-doing the elementary side, and the kindergarten and third grade rooms were flooded, but there's no real damage, just a mess to clean up."
Tray added, "We're hoping to get all of the repair work done and we have every intention of starting school on time."
Barnes said volunteers have been very helpful in the aftermath of the storm, coming together for clean-up and repairs. "We're going to organize a couple of days to get volunteers at the school again to help."
"A big part of the school is okay," Barnes said. "The building is probably going to end up in better shape than it was when we started."
With the short amount of time left to get the facility ready for the 2014-15 school year, school officials, employees and volunteers are working feverishly.
"It's terrible that we have a lot of logistics to take care of in a short amount of time, but it's a blessing that nobody was hurt, it didn't happen during the school year," Barnes said. "That would've been tragic. Yes, it's disheartening to be derailed from our original plans, but it could've been so much worse."