South Sound starts to heal

Lincoln Elementary sets up temporary classrooms

LORRINE THOMPSON, THE OLYMPIAN

OLYMPIA -- More than 100 Lincoln Elementary School children will attend school in temporary classrooms at a nearby church starting Tuesday, while earthquake damage is repaired at the school.

A little more than half of Lincoln's students will attend classes at the school, which is structurally sound despite repair needs, Olympia School District officials said.

"We're hoping this will last only a few weeks. We're starting (repair) work tomorrow," district spokeswoman Shelley Carr said.

Lincoln parents and students -- about 300 children attend the school -- can learn about the plans at a meeting Sunday afternoon at the school.

Some plan details include:

-Children will report to the school's gymnasium Tuesday morning, not to their classrooms, and will be taken to their classrooms either inside the school or inside St. John's Episcopal Church, at the corner of 19th Avenue and Capitol Way.

-After Tuesday, children are to be dropped off at the school or at St. John's Episcopal Church in the morning, depending on where their temporary classrooms are located.

-Children in temporary classes at the church will return to Lincoln for lunch and recess.

-Parents can call Lincoln school for information, even if their children are at St. John's. The school will establish a communication system between the sites.

The historic school suffered cracks along walls on the building's east side during Wednesday's earthquake. Repairs will require closing off at least one doorway, which will not leave enough fire escape exits for student safety.

A team of staff members and volunteer parents set to work Friday calling hundreds of families to notify them of the plans, Principal Cheryl Petra said.

Parents are expressing gratitude for St. John's, which volunteered space so children will not have to be bused to other schools, Petra said.

Because the church is just one and a half blocks from the school, Lincoln's students will be able to eat lunch and have recess together, and may feel less dislocation, Petra said.

Other schools in the area were "very generous" in offering space for Lincoln students, she said.

"We feel lucky; we feel grateful," she said. "We have great parent support and great district support."

Lorrine Thompson covers Thurston County and health care for The Olympian. She can be reached at 754-5431.

School information

- Capital High School will resume classes Monday. Registration for third-trimester classes will resume Thursday.

- Avanti High School will resume classes Monday. Students should enter through the doorway closest to the old Washington gym.

- Olympia School District staff will return to the Knox Center on Monday. The main entrance on Legion Way and the lower parking lot are closed.

- Lincoln Elementary School students will resume classes Tuesday, beginning with a morning assembly in the school's gymnasium for all students to discuss plans for moving about half the school's students temporarily to St. John's Episcopal Church. Students are not to report to classrooms.

A meeting for Lincoln parents is scheduled for 4 to 6 p.m. Sunday in the school's gymnasium, 213 21st Ave. S.E. Children are welcome, but no child care will be available and children will not be allowed to play outside. A report on plans during repairs, with answers to questions, will be available at the school office beginning at 9 a.m. today and at the meeting.

For more information, visit the Olympia School District Web site at Olympia School District Web site.

The Olympian Copyright 2000

back to main Earthquake Stories index