Since Monday, Richland Two Operations Department and school custodial staff have been checking buildings and campuses to assess damage from what is being reported as a 1,000-year rain storm. Overall, district building facilities fared very well. While there has been erosion on some athletic fields and water damage around facilities, only minor leaks have been found in a few rooms in a few buildings. Some cleanup was required where rain had blown in under doors.
Damage to district property includes:
Athletic facilities at Ridge View High School: Three washouts have occurred. The first two were discovered on Sunday. One encompasses a substantial area between an upper and lower practice field. The other is located in an area leading from the upper practice field down to the softball field. On Monday staff found a washout at the track on the upper competition field and beneath the visitor stands. This washout is located along the fence above the baseball field.
Both of these erosion sites are located between the upper and lower athletic fields. They are not near the school building and pose no threat to the structural integrity of the building.
Students and school staff will be kept away from the areas, which have been clearly marked off.
Operations staff met with a civil engineer and a contractor on Tuesday to assess the erosion damage.
The civil engineer is now putting together the necessary plans and drawings in order for the contractor to make the required repairs.
Athletic facilities at Spring Valley High School: A sinkhole has developed on the service road leading down to the football field and water damage has occurred on a practice field.
Parking lot at Support Services: A sinkhole has developed in the parking lot at the Special Services Transportation Hub.
Transportation
There are many damaged roads in our district. Sinkholes and washouts continue to develop and the list of road closures changes frequently. Road closures will require substantial changes to bus routes as well as the routes used by our employees and parents who drive their children to school. District transportation staff members are checking routes to determine viable options for re-routing. Information will be communicated to parents if changes require adjustments to locations of bus stops.
Water and Power
At this time, all of our schools have power and running water, but the water is not drinkable as we are still under a boil-water advisory. Therefore, the district is securing bottle water for drinking if needed when we return to school.
Meals Provided Oct. 8 and Oct. 9
Richland School District Two Food Services, operated by Sodexo, will open sites to provide meals to Richland Two students while schools are closed because of the flooding in the Midlands area. This service is similar to the district’s summer feeding program.
Meals will be served from 8-9 a.m. and 11 a.m.-1 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 8, and Friday, Oct. 9, in the cafeterias at Bethel-Hanberry Elementary, Bridge Creek Elementary, Conder Elementary, Dent Middle, Forest Lake Elementary, Keels Elementary, Killian Elementary, Sandlapper Elementary, Summit Parkway Middle and Windsor Elementary. The sites were selected based on locations that students and their families could travel to safely either by walking or driving a short distance.
Families impacted by the flood will also be able to talk with district staff from Learning Support Services at these sites.
Make-up Days
The three inclement weather make-up days built in the school calendar include: Feb. 15; March 25; and April 29. At this point, we have not finalized plans for how those days will be used and how to make up additional days. We will be sure to keep students, parents and employees informed.
Questions
