In 2017, when Journeys Lutheran School moved its current home at 5425 S. 111th St. in Hales Corners, the building was sparse.
Over time, it transformed into a school tailored to special education. It had sensory tools, a therapy wing, a library organized for nonverbal students and early readers, and classrooms designed for small-group instruction.
“This building became more than just a structure, it became a reflection of who we are, and who are our students are,” said Jenny Stollenwerk, head of school, during an Aug. 21 news conference.
Much of that has been destroyed.
The school sustained an estimated $1 million damage during the floods on Aug. 9 and 10, Stollenwerk said. It’s asking for volunteers to come to the school between 8:30 and 11:30 a.m. Monday, Aug. 25, to help with cleaning, weeding and painting.
Many areas flooded with between 4 and 6 inches of rainwater. Sewage water seeped in, too.
The school didn’t have flood insurance.
“There are moments when I still hope we are going to be less than that $1 million need,” Stollenwerk said. “And then the next day another contractor comes in, and we find more damage, or we find more things behind the curtain.”
The library was hit hard. So were classrooms, which were already filled with books and supplies for the upcoming school year. The gym floor is gone.
Hales Corners Village President Dan Besson said at the press conference that flooding was severe in the area, with roads washed away due to the swiftness of the water. The Hales Corners Police Department posted a video showing an officer wading in water so high it nearly reached cars’ windows.
“We have homes in the village that are uninhabitable; residents cannot go back in,” Besson said.
Stollenwerk said despite everything, the community has shown up to help. The plan is to open school by Sept. 8, though the building won’t be finished.
Area teachers are offering replacement curriculum. Due to a family’s organizing, the local Culver’s donated 10% of its proceeds for one day to the school. Others have organized rummage sales or surprised school leaders with unexpected donations, she said.
The community has also organized a GoFundMe.
“So many of you have already stepped forward, and for that we are deeply thankful,” she said.
Cleo Krejci covers K-12 education and workforce development as a Report For America corps member based at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Contact her at CKrejci@gannett.com or follow her on Twitter @_CleoKrejci. For more information about Report for America, visit jsonline.com/rfa.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Hales Corners school with $1 million in flooding damage and no flood insurance asks for volunteers
Reporting by Cleo Krejci, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
