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Superintendent outlines damage at Old Fort Elementary, restoration steps and funding uncertainties
Summary
Superintendent Doctor Grit told the board that Old Fort Elementary suffered up to 3 feet of exterior flooding and 6–8 inches inside, with gym-floor and electrical damage; restoration is underway, insurance (deductible ~ $50,000) and FEMA will be involved, and many students were temporarily relocated to Pleasant Gardens.
The board heard detailed damage and recovery information on Oct. 14 as the superintendent described the district’s response to Hurricane Helene and the condition of Old Fort Elementary.
Doctor Grit said roughly three feet of stormwater stood against the outside of Old Fort Elementary and interior water reached six to eight inches in some areas. “There was, 3 feet of storm water on the outside of, Old Fort Elementary School,” he told the board, and photos shown to members illustrated mud-lined hallways, a buckled gym floor and mud and silt in classrooms.
Restoration crews have completed initial mud-out and are running dehumidifiers while mechanical and electrical systems are assessed. Doctor Grit said part of the main electrical cabinet and an exterior generator room took roughly two feet of water and will require significant repair. He cautioned that additional damage may appear once power is restored and restoration crews reactivate systems.
The superintendent said the district has not yet received a complete Department of Insurance assessment and that the district’s flood-insurance deductible is “roughly $50,000”; beyond that point the superintendent said the district will pursue insurance and FEMA options and warned that broader county revenue impacts could create long-term funding pressures.
In the meantime the district relocated roughly 300 Old Fort students into Pleasant Gardens Elementary and arranged classroom space and resources; district leaders credited National Guard personnel and volunteers with moving salvageable furniture and materials. Attendance systemwide rebounded to mid- and high-90s after reopening, the board heard, though some students remain displaced out of county and are being supported by principals.
Superintendent Grit asked the board to tour Old Fort on Wednesday at 1:00 p.m. and described a cautious approach to selecting restoration contractors: the district will favor original-controls subcontractors familiar with building systems and will require restoration vendors to coordinate with district staff and the Department of Insurance to avoid unvetted companies entering school buildings.
Board members asked about costs and contingencies for lost items; the superintendent said donations are being managed through McDowellCares and the district will aim to keep Old Fort’s budget level intact while recouping costs over time through insurance and federal aid where possible.
