Local school districts are seeing fallout from the severe winter storm that moved through the region around the Christmas holiday, leaving two Benton schools scrambling to try and open in time.
In Marshall County, at least five schools suffered damage from frozen sprinkler pipes that burst.
Ceilings, classrooms and floors have been ruined. Wet Chromebooks and workbooks have been left out to dry. And teachers like Mary Shupe are depending on others to help pick up the pieces.
“Well, everybody is here and helping out and I don’t have to do this by myself, Shupe said, adding that she “knew everybody would do anything they could to help out.”
“That’s what our community does and that’s what our schools does,” Shupe remarked.
With record wind-chills over the weekend reaching -20° and lower, pipes in Benton Elementary School froze and burst.
Facilities and Transportation Director Jeff Stokes says only 3 areas in the building were spared from damage.
Stokes says two buildings had severe damage, with Benton Elementary being in the worst shape. “About 90 percent of the school was affected by this since its a 2-level building. It started in the upstairs and ran to the downstairs,” he explained.
“Obviously, our goal is to get everything in place to get back in school with students on Wednesday of next week,” he explained.
They hope to have a clearer picture by Friday.
“Getting through today and tomorrow with the work going on in this building and the others, we will kind of have a better picture of the work left,” Miracle reported.