By Emmanuel T. Erediano
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Variety News Staff
EQUIPPED with brooms, mops and other cleaning tools, and wearing safety gear such as gloves and face masks, a large group of Public School System community members went to their respective schools Thursday to begin assessments and cleanup efforts to ensure campuses are safe for students.
Although there is no set date for students to return, Gregorio T. Camacho Elementary School teacher Jenny Villagomez said, “we are going to be ready.”
School leadership, faculty and staff were all on campus Thursday morning “to prepare our classrooms,” she said. She added that the goal is to ensure the school is clean and safe once an official reopening is announced.
GTC Elementary School Principal Derwin Johnson said staff officially reported back Thursday morning to inspect classrooms and school resources, open doors to air out rooms, and ensure everything is safe for students.
Although vendors are contracted to handle major cleaning and debris removal, teachers and staff were allowed to assist with cleanup if they wished, Johnson said. He noted that while some rooms sustained no damage, others were completely destroyed, and staff were taking inventory of remaining resources.
Once students return, Johnson said, “we are going to make sure that we are prepared for that.”
Admiral Herbert G. Hopwood Middle School teacher Donald Mendiola said it will take “a whole lot of time” before students can return.
Right now, he said, “we are cleaning, we are trying to prepare because there’s a lot of damage here.”
Many classrooms still need cleaning, he added, as teachers and staff work on preparations.
“Because we are student-driven, we have to come back to prepare for the kids, and we are all coming,” he said.
Emmanuel “Arnold” Erediano has a bachelor of science degree in Journalism. He started his career as police beat reporter. Loves to cook. Eats death threats for breakfast.
