A mock structure fire on the last day of school signaled the start of a summer remodeling project at St. Theresa School, 5001 E. Thomas Road. The June 7 “fire” brought in several local trucks, mock smoke, water and axes.
The firefighters came in with sirens blaring. They jumped into action to “rescue” dummy bodies and cut holes in the roof for ventilation. One firefighter gave students a step-by-step explanation of the process.
Unlike a typical fire scene, the rebuild at St. Theresa was well-planned long before the destruction. Demolition crews were expected back this week to officially knock down the “fire scene”: old maintenance homes turned storage facilities next to St. Theresa’s preschool.
It’s the first of a multi-phase effort to create dedicated space for an early education center. The preschool has been working out of converted homes with kindergarten classrooms in the elementary school across the softball field.
Administrators hope to have preschool and kindergarten students together in the new Early Childhood Center by the start of the fall 2014 school year.
