Lightning Strikes Impact 3 Schools: Air Conditioners, Fire Alarms Have to Be Fixed As Classes Begin

By Harry Franklin, Columbus Ledger-Enquirer, Ga.

Aug. 9–HAMILTON, Ga. — Lightning knocked out intercom systems and affected fire alarms at three schools in Harris County within two days of classes resuming Wednesday for the 2007-08 school year.

At Harris County Carver Middle School in Hamilton, a technician was in the office at midmorning Wednesday trying to assess the damage from a lightning strike that occurred about 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, just after Superintendent Susan Andrews arrived.

Jay Turner with G&G Electronics in Columbus said he didn’t know how serious the problem was, but that he expected to have the systems back in service Wednesday. The superintendent reported late Wednesday that the systems were repaired and in service after lunch.

Stacey Carlisle, in her first year as principal of the school, said teachers and staff adjusted to the problem.

Intercom and fire alarm systems at Harris County High School in Hamilton and Mulberry Creek Elementary School west of Cataula were knocked out of service Monday by lightning strikes, in time for repair crews to be called in. The services were restored by Tuesday.

However, at the high school, at least three teachers reported air conditioners in their classrooms were not working Wednesday morning. Principal Roger Couch said maintenance crews were working on the problem and said he hoped it would be resolved quickly.

Andrews said parents were given sufficient notice about possible traffic problems at the middle and high schools. She said parents responded well Wednesday morning and traffic issues were not nearly as challenging as expected. Andrews had asked the Harris County Sheriff’s Department to provide deputies at each school to deal with traffic issues.

Enrollment figures

Schools and the transportation department received numerous telephone calls about school bus routes and times. The school system has a new computer program that keeps up with bus routes and times.

Only one school bus malfunctioned Wednesday morning. Pine Ridge Elementary School Principal Dan Trotter said a bus failed before any students were picked up. A backup bus was sent and students who were not transported by parents arrived at 8:20 a.m., 20 minutes after classes began.

Andrews pronounced the first day of classes a big success, despite the problems. School officials were expecting as many as 5,100 students.

However, numbers of students attending schools Wednesday afternoon showed that the school system may not top 5,000 students this year, which Andrews said is good. Total attendance on opening day was 4,790, down from the 5,088 enrolled.

Here are the numbers from each school, with the enrollment number in parenthesis: Park Elementary, 533 (552); Pine Ridge Elementary, 611 (631); Mulberry Creek, 570 (586); New Mountain Hill Elementary, 497 (526); Harris County High, 1,486 (1,605); Harris County Carver Middle, 1,033 (1,124); Educational Opportunities Center, 5 (5); and Performance Learning Center, 55 (59). In all, there were 298 fewer present than enrolled. Andrews doesn’t expect to have to add teachers.

Some principals, including Garnett Ray at New Mountain Hill Elementary School, said things went so smoothly Wednesday that it was like school had never ended last year. His students and teachers were enjoying additional space provided by a new classroom wing. Students were already on computers Wednesday morning in the wing’s new computer lab, as teacher Allison Hurst directed them.

First-day challenges

A big concern of each school on opening day, besides education, is making sure students get on the right bus or in the right car after school and get home safely.

To make sure students got on the right bus, bus riders at Mulberry Creek Elementary School were given armbands to wear with the same color as one attached to the mirror on the bus, said Principal Jeff Branham.

Principal Couch said the high school faces many challenges this year with some 1,600 students expected.

“We have challenges with the size of the lunchroom, the media center and with parking,” he said. “We have four additional portable classrooms. We have over 450 freshmen. It’s a good problem.”

Students were still signing up to get parking spaces at the school Wednesday.

With a second high school in the county at least seven or eight years away from being built, the high school will continue to wrestle with large student bodies for several years.

Park Elementary School Principal Angi Jackson said Wednesday was wonderful at the school. A teacher or two were dealing with seating issues in the cafeteria; Jackson said some classes some may need to share tables.

At the high school, Andrews said a new serving line with a point-of-sale computer was set up in a commons area outside the cafeteria to serve meals just to seniors, easing overcrowding in the lunchroom.

“Of course, they have to put up those tables and take them down each day,” she said.

Contact Harry Franklin at 706-571-8521

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Copyright (c) 2007, Columbus Ledger-Enquirer, Ga.

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