McCullough students regroup, relocate to new Gary school

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Fifth grade teacher Desirae Hardy explains how the children have responded to the move.

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Gary Community School Corporation Superintendent Dr. Yvonne Stokes discusses the move students at the McCullough Academy had to undertake after their school suffered damage in the March 19 tornado. They are in their makeshift classrooms at the Gary Area Career Center.

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Principal Sharmayne McKinley, left, leads fifth graders to lunch as students at the McCullough Academy had to relocate after their school suffered damage in the March 19 tornado. John Smierciak/Photos for the Post Tribune

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By Carole Carlson

About 500 McCullough Academy students settled into their new classrooms Monday at the spacious Gary Area Career Center as repair plans were being developed at their west side school after a March 19 tornado ripped its roof off.

The kids had breakfast in the school cafeteria and ate bag lunches in their classrooms as they navigated the new building and lined up for restroom breaks.

“It feels different. It’s new and I have to be more quiet,” said Sebastian Williams, 12. “My teacher says we’re in a high school.”

Some of the younger students spent the day in the career center’s multi-purpose room where several classes were held. Students in grades 3-5 were in smaller classrooms as teachers reviewed material for the upcoming ILEARN exam.

Sebastian lives on West 21st Avenue, just down the street from McCullough, an elementary for grades K-5 at 3757 W. 21st Ave. He was home with his family when the EF-1 tornado bore down on Gary.

“I was kind of scared, the back of our shed door flew off and some shingles fell from the roof.”

Sebastian and his family also got an early glimpse of the damage at McCullough where he’s in 5th grade.

The tornado tore the roof off the school gym. His family moved to a motel after the storm because their neighborhood lost power.

Fifth grade teacher Desirae Hardy said there was some initial uncertainty about how classes would be divided up and for students to figure out where the bathrooms are.

“By day two, I think we’ll have a better idea of how we’ll operate,” she said.

Kimora Johnson, 12, said being in a new school was “a little weird.” She said her parents were surprised at the move to a new school, but she thinks it will all work out.

When the storm came suddenly, McCullough students had already left for the day. Students at track practice, however, had just left the building when the tornado hit. No one was injured at the school.

McCullough Principal Sharmayne McKinney said she got a phone call after the storm moved through and went back to the school to see water shooting out of the roof.

“Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined that,” she said.Superintendent Yvonne Stokes checked out the classrooms at the Career Center and said repairs at McCullough likely won’t be completed until mid-summer.

“We’ve got a wonderful space here that we’re utilizing, but we do plan on getting our students back as soon as we can,” said Stokes on the return to McCullough.

She didn’t rule out returning students to the school this spring if the impacted areas can be safely walled off from students, while repairs are being done. She hoped they wouldn’t be away from their school too long but it’s too early to say.

“We just know that we want to make sure everything’s safe,” said Stokes, citing the working condition of sprinkler systems and other equipment impacted by the tornado.

Stokes said students will likely begin ILEARN testing April 14. She said it’s still unclear if the students will be at the Career Center or back at McCullough when testing begins.

In case they’re at the Career Center, students in grade 3-5 are being housed in classrooms much like their old ones at McCullough so they can become familiar with their surroundings at testing time.

“We will be prepared, but what I will say is that disruptions like this can have an impact,” said Stokes. “We’re hoping and planning for it to be a positive impact for us.”

McKinney praised her teachers for acclimating students to their new surroundings and keeping them focused as they prepare for the ILEARN.

“It’s going to be fine. We’re going to do the best that we can and our teachers are going to teach to get them prepared for the test,” she said.

McKinney, in her sixth year as McCullough principal, said parents have been receptive to the school change and some even dropped their children off even though the Career Center is several miles from McCullough.

The district provided buses to pick children up at McCullough.

Parents are asked to drop their children off at McCullough between 7:15 and 7:30 a.m. Pickup is at 2:30 p.m.

Stokes thanked the students and staff members for their cooperation and our parents and our community “for just pivoting with us.”

Carole Carlson is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.