Some private schools still drying out

By D. Aileen Dodd

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Elise and Aidan Leicht have been whittling away at school projects, devouring novels and studying the family electrical parts business since flood waters closed their Lilburn Catholic school nearly two weeks ago.

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Paula Roland A neighborhood dog enjoyed a dip in the new lake on the baseball field at Mill Springs Academy in Alpharetta last week after the flood. The area is dry now.

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St. John Neumann school St. John Neumann's gym was awash after the flooding. Classes are to resume on Monday.

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Diane Holcombe Ducks took up residence in Westminster's flooded Cody baseball field.

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Ian Aitken, Special Westminster's Thompson Stadium at the height of the flooding.

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The Leichts are students at St. John Neumann Regional Catholic School, its campus nestled beside an arm of the Yellow River. Last week’s menacing rain flooded 15 basement classrooms at the school and sent four feet of water gushing into the gymnasium.

On Tuesday, restoration crews continued clean-up efforts while Neumann’s 546 kids tried to make the most of their prolonged break from classes.

“I’ve been doing some extra work for school,” said Aidan, 11, a sixth-grader. “But sometimes it just gets boring sitting around. There is not always a lot to do. People that don’t go to the school aren’t home so you can’t talk to your other friends.”

Neumann’s last day of classes was Sept. 18 when stubborn downpours began to soak metro Atlanta suburbs. School administrators cancelled classes at Neumann the following Monday morning because water had crept under the front door, invaded a classroom and the media center. Later that evening, the parking lot began to overflow.

“We knew that the river was rising rapidly,” said Nancy Puckett, the K-8 school’s assistant principal. “Fortunately, we were able to get our teachers to come in and get things up off the floor … What we lost basically was bookshelves, desks and cabinets. It filled a dumpster.”

Flooding also impacted several other private schools across metro Atlanta last week.

At Mill Springs Academy in Alpharetta, a neighborhood dog was able to take a dip in the temporary lake that formed on the school’s baseball field. The soccer field, track and tennis courts also were submerged.

“We probably had 35 acres of flood plain,” said school president Robert W. Moore. “Damage was minimal. It dried out the next day.”

Flooding has prompted the Westminster Schools to reschedule football games for next month. Fritz Orr Field was swallowed by rising waters. Oct. 9’s , “home game” against Avondale High will be held at Marist School instead.

“Other private schools are pitching in and letting us borrow their fields until we can get our field back to play quality,” said Nancy Field, Westminster spokeswoman.

Catholic schools are stepping up to help Neumann replace some of the items it lost. Valuables like computers and instruments were kept out of harm’s way because of the fast attention of staff, said Diane Starkovich, superintendent of schools.

“We called our underwriter who had someone out there immediately,” Starkovich said. “The professional cleaners came. They had huge trucks with industrial-sized fans to begin the drying-out process. Teachers rolled up their sleeves and emptied classrooms where there was water damage.They washed down everything that could be saved with disinfectant.”

The decision was made to keep students out of school because there was no temporary space to house them. Starkovich said the missed days will be made up later. This week an air quality specialist will visit for a second time to test for mold spores.

“A two-week closing of school is always difficult for parents,” Starkovich said. “Our No. 1 priority is the safety of our students and employees.”

Meanwhile, Neumann parents are working together to help with child care for those who are running out of options. School is tentatively set to resume on Monday if air quality at the school passes muster.

Until then, Sheila Leicht of Loganville is trying to keep her kids busy. Their teachers have posted spelling words online to study and her 9-year-old Elise is spending downtime practicing piano, going to cheerleading practice and visiting friends. Some days, the Leicht siblings go on business sales calls with their dad, a co-owner at Tech Controls.

“I’m just having to pool my resources,” Leicht said. “We are taking it day by day.”