Mike Salsbury/The Olympian
Richard Lerch of Olympia visits Lincoln Elementary School and looks at earthquake damage on the school's exterior.

After the shaking stopped

Capital, Lincoln, Avanti schools are closed today

Ruth Longoria, The Olympian

SOUTH SOUND -- Structural engineers inspected and cleared all but three schools in the Olympia, Tumwater and North Thurston school districts Thursday, and, with a few exceptions, South Sound schools will be back in session today.

"We've had some interesting challenges, but we expect most schools should be running normally," said Shelley Carr, director of communications and arts for the Olympia School District.

However, it is not yet known when students at Capital High School, Avanti Alternative High School and Lincoln Elementary School will be able to return to classes.

Structural damage was found in the east end of Lincoln Elementary School and the north end of the Knox Administrative Center, which houses the administrative offices, as well as Avanti Alternative High School, Carr said.

And, despite earlier concerns, structural assessments of Capital High School revealed that the school sustained no structural damage, Carr said.

However, repairs at that school will require replacement of ceiling tiles and the support grid, which hold the ceiling tiles in place.

Repairs in North Thurston schools are expected to be minimal, administrators said.

With the exception of ceiling tile repairs in the gymnasium at North Thurston High School and cleanup in a classroom at Woodland Elementary School, all North Thurston schools will be operating on schedule today, said Tim McGilvrey of the North Thurston School District.

The developmentally disabled class at Woodland Elementary School will resume classes Monday, and some areas of the North Thurston High School gymnasium will be partitioned off to prevent students from entering that area until repairs can be made, McGilvrey said.

Tumwater administrators said they are relieved with the go-ahead to resume classes in all their schools.

"I think we're in a bit better shape than Olympia and North Thurston," said Debby Carter, director of district projects in the Tumwater School District.

"Reports from the structural engineers say Tumwater schools were built and engineered to withstand even bigger quakes than this one," Carter said.

"Of course the bad news with that is that there are bigger quakes possible and we don't want a bigger quake," she said. "But, the good news is that if we get one, the schools may be the safest place for the students and staff to be."

Theaters suffer quake damage

Earthquake damage has temporarily closed the Capitol Theater, 206 Fifth Ave. S.E., Olympia.

The building is structurally sound, but the inside ceiling is damaged, said Sean Savage of the Olympia Film Festival.

The theater will remain closed to the public until crews can decide what action to take to fix the ceiling.

The "Nosferatu" screening planned for Saturday will likely be rescheduled. (The Weekend section in today's Olympian, which was printed in advance, includes a feature on the performance.)

The Washington Center for the Performing Arts, 512 Washington St. S.E., Olympia, also is temporarily closed. The structure is not damaged, but the center will stay dark until Washington Street is re-opened to traffic.

The performances of "As You Like It" planned for today and Saturday at Timberline High School, 6120 Mullen Road S.E., Lacey, will go forward. Performances will be at 7:30 p.m. in the school's performing arts center. Tickets are $6 for adults and $5 for seniors and students. For more details call 412-4870.

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