HHS quickly returns to business as usual
Zach White
Halfway through Havre High School’s first week back in operation after last week’s roof collapse, Principal Jerry Vandersloot said everything is under control, situation normal.
“The past few days have gone very smoothly, ” Vandersloot said. “For about 90 percent of the students, it’s business as usual. ”
The challenge has been to get the business of the other 10 percent to be functioning as normally as possible. This is particularly challenging, considering the classes that have been displaced, including home economics and the wood and metal shop classes. These are the hardest to relocate, requiring specialized equipment that is frequently difficult to move.
Some sewing machines have been moved out of the home economics room for the school’s clothing design class.
The wood and metal shop students have been making due with what they can. These classes have been watching videos, learning on computers and planning for projects, in the hope that they will be able to get back to their rooms and equipment this year.
One hundred percent of the students have been eating their lunches in the hallways, as the cafeteria is still out of commission.
Superintendent Andy Carlson told the school board that other schools around the state do this all of the time, and some of the students “probably enjoy it. ”
Vandersloot listed this among the contingency plans that have gone well, and said the students have handled it well.
“They’ve been picking up after themselves, ” Vandersloot said.
As for the roof preparations, all of the snow has been removed from the roof. Vandersloot explained that all of the debris that fell in the initial collapse has been removed. On Wednesday the staff was removing the dangling, bent and twisted parts damaged in the collapse, to prepare the area for the imminent construction.
According to Carlson, this morning during a tour of Highland Park Early Primary School’s construction in its new cafeteria, Clausen and Sons have already been on the roof and is planning how to seal the massive hole.
“Right now the main concern is to keep water off of those rooms, ” Carlson said.
Carlson and Vandersloot were impressed with how quickly the school was able to get back on its feet.
Vandersloot attributed the success to his supportive staff “stepping up to the plate. ”
Halfway through Havre High School’s first week back in operation after last week’s roof collapse, Principal Jerry Vandersloot said everything is under control, situation normal.
“The past few days have gone very smoothly, ” Vandersloot said. “For about 90 percent of the students, it’s business as usual. ”
The challenge has been to get the business of the other 10 percent to be functioning as normally as possible. This is particularly challenging, considering the classes that have been displaced, including home economics and the wood and metal shop classes. These are the hardest to relocate, requiring specialized equipment that is frequently difficult to move.
Some sewing machines have been moved out of the home economics room for the school’s clothing design class.
The wood and metal shop students have been making due with what they can. These classes have been watching videos, learning on computers and planning for projects, in the hope that they will be able to get back to their rooms and equipment this year.
One hundred percent of the students have been eating their lunches in the hallways, as the cafeteria is still out of commission.
Superintendent Andy Carlson told the school board that other schools around the state do this all of the time, and some of the students “probably enjoy it. ”
Vandersloot listed this among the contingency plans that have gone well, and said the students have handled it well.
“They’ve been picking up after themselves, ” Vandersloot said.
As for the roof preparations, all of the snow has been removed from the roof. Vandersloot explained that all of the debris that fell in the initial collapse has been removed. On Wednesday the staff was removing the dangling, bent and twisted parts damaged in the collapse, to prepare the area for the imminent construction.
According to Carlson, this morning during a tour of Highland Park Early Primary School’s construction in its new cafeteria, Clausen and Sons have already been on the roof and is planning how to seal the massive hole.
“Right now the main concern is to keep water off of those rooms, ” Carlson said.
Carlson and Vandersloot were impressed with how quickly the school was able to get back on its feet.
Vandersloot attributed the success to his supportive staff “stepping up to the plate. ”
