Park View Students Thrive Under New Roof A Year After Sandy

Hurricane Sandy may have tried to rip apart a Kings Park elementary school, but in the process has brought its community closer together than ever before. 

A year ago Tuesday, Superstorm Sandy wrecked havoc on Long Island as its strong winds ripped the roof off Park View Elementary School on Oct. 29, 2012. The news rippled through out a community as a school district grappled with how to educate students in kindergarten to third grade. 

"This is probably the biggest issue I've faced. I have had situations with classroom flooded but nothing like this," Superintendent Susan Agruso said, reflecting back. 

In only two months, Park View's doors were re-opened on Jan. 2, 2013 with a large, red-ribbon bow to welcome students back to their classrooms. The building had a new roofing system, fresh coats of paint and sanitized classroom after 7 weeks of hard work. 

"The most important thing is we were on it immediately," Agruso said. "The night of the hurricane when we got the phone call the roof had come off, we immediately contacted our architectural firm." 

That single phone to Melville-based engineering firm H2M call set recovery in motion before most of Kings Park's residents lost electricity and phone service. 

Kings Park Board of Education Trustee Charles Leo and his wife, Kathy, were among the few in Kings Park whose home still had electricity and Internet services after the storm. They opened their home for an emergency meeting for the Board of Education to assess Sandy's damage - especially at Park View. 

Kathy Leo said she remembers watching as community and school officials went door-to-door knocking, gathering the trustees to meet about the emergency while she put on the coffee. 

"They were really creative, open to suggestions and solutions. It wasn’t authoritative, everyone was trying to find a way to help. They didn’t know what they were going to do with the school. Every idea was considered," Kathy said. 

The board quickly decided K-2 students would be bussed and taught at the district's administrative building in San Remo, while third-graders would continue classes at R.J.O. Intermediate. Meanwhile, teachers and staff members who could make it in to work began the process of "sloshing through water saving things from getting damaged further," Agruso said. 

"That’s part of the nature of Kings Park," she said. "When there is a tragedy we know what to do, we know how to take care of things." 

Community residents gathered and began posting flyers on telephone poles, stores with electricity and gathering places announcing a meeting that would be attended by 700-800 parents announcing the redistribution of students. 

By Nov. 14, the Kings Park Board of Eduction voted to upgrade Park View's roofing to a thicker, stronger membrane (a synthetic rubber used to prevent leaks), a 30-year warranty and an increased cost. The initial roof replacement, costing $1 million, was covered by insurance but the additional upgrades of $81,675 was paid for from the fund balance. 

"As result of all work with storm, I believe people saw when community comes together, a group of people start taking critical steps you can make things happen pretty quickly," Agruso said. 

Other damage in the school district included:  a soccer fence and soccer scoreboard damaged at Kings Park High School with some roofing leaks; William T. Rogers needed a sign replaced, tennis courts repaired and a downed light post; and R.J.O. Intermediate needed the flashing on the cupola removed. 

Agruso said the school district received $200,000 in aid from FEMA and the district's insurance will cover the rest, there is still some has yet to come in, but she expects the district "will be made whole."