By Lauren Wanko
NJ Today
Most New Jersey school kids are gearing up for summer vacation. But today in Union Beach, Memorial School students are heading back to their school for the first time since Sandy.
“It felt amazing because now we can actually come back and finish off the year in our comfort zone, so we’re not somewhere else wondering how does the school look and when are we gonna come back,” said eighth-grader Caitlin O’Leary.
“Unfortunately the school succumbed to about a foot and a half of water throughout the building, everywhere from the all-propose room to the hallways. Anything the water came in touch with was devastated,” said Union Beach Superintendent Joseph J. Annibale. “Anything that the water came in touch with was devastated.”
That meant the nearly 700 Memorial School students — pre-K through eighth grade — were forced to split up and move to different schools in neighboring towns.
“It was kind of devastating because we knew that we were gonna be there for some time,” O’Leary said.
After months of reconstruction, the school doors finally reopened this morning. Just about everything is new, from the floors to the computers to the textbooks. Officials say today marks a return to normalcy.
“The town’s rebounded. It’s still rebuilding, they’re still rebuilding, it’s gonna take some time, but it’s getting back to normal and the proof in the pudding is this great new schoolhouse,” said Sen. Joseph Kyrillos.
The Union Beach mayor says today is especially good news, not just for the students, but for the entire community. He estimates that during the storm more than 50 homes were washed away. Another 300 houses were demoed and at least 500 families are still displaced.
“This is beautiful cause this is one step in the right direction, we’re gonna have to take baby steps and we’re gonna have to have a lot of patience,” said Union Beach Mayor Paul J. Smith Jr.
The last day of the school year is June 25. Eighth-grader Aleksandra Van Orden wishes she had more time here before the summer.
“It’s only three weeks left of staying in this school and then everyone is off to their own high school,” Van Orden said.
All the students proudly wore “Still Here, Still Strong” T-shirts this morning. In one classroom, a student wrote, “Today is special because we are back at Memorial School.”
The best part for eighth-grader Anthony Santana? “Seeing everyone with a smile on their face,” he said.
Principal Brian Walsh says he’s proud of his students.
“You know we tried to provide them hope throughout this process, but really we were able to do that because they provided us with hope,” Walsh said.
“People are still trying to get their houses back. At least we have this one place that we know is always gonna be here,” said O’Leary.
Until Memorial School students begin their summer vacations, they’re determined to enjoy every moment in their old classrooms and with each other.