R-5 schools getting back to normal after flood

Truman Elementary students returned to their own school Monday, if not to their own classrooms. After weeks of rain several of Nevada R-5's buildings had water issues during the heavy downpour on Friday, especially Truman, which caused the district to scramble to find accommodation for the students who had their classrooms inundated with flood waters.

"We have wonderful people here," Diane Marti, Truman principal said Monday. "Our maintenance department was working hard over the weekend to get the water damage taken care of. We had some classes that were meeting in other areas of the school like the lunchroom and the library but by tomorrow they should be back in their own classrooms."

The fifth grade wing was the only part of the building that was not significantly impacted by the flooding and classes for those students went on inside Truman Elementary as usual, while the third graders were taken to the Bowman building and fourth grade classes were moved to the high school auditorium and gymnasium.

"At the time the flood started, we already had kids in the building," R-5 Superintendent Dr. David Stevens said Friday. "We had water in the Tech Center, the Bowman building and the middle school, as well as Truman."

"We had to relocate some of the kids to other locations, but we had a lot of help from all over the district," Marti said. "It wasn't a regular school day but we were able to keep them engaged and in school."

Marti said the waters rose quickly; and fell just as quickly once the downpour stopped.

"It just came from everywhere," Marti said. "But once it stopped raining it was amazing how quickly it cleared up."

Marti said that the staff pulled together to make the best of a bad situation.

"I can't say enough good things about the staff -- they did a great job," Marti said. "They walked through the door saying, 'What can we do to help?' and pitched in and got to work. They have blisters from all the mopping."

Stephens said Monday that he didn't have any firm numbers on the damage but that quick action by district employees kept it down.

"We don't have any numbers, but I've been on the phone with the insurance company and it looks like it won't be very significant, mostly because our people got in there and got the areas dried quickly," Stephens said.