Floods affect Geelong schools

from the Addie:

Geelong High among schools forced to close for storm clean-up

January 28, 2016 2:45pm

Courtney CraneGeelong Advertiser

HOLIDAYS have stretched a little longer for hundreds of Geelong kids, with the first day of classes yesterday put on hold at several schools due to storm damage.

Geelong High, Montpellier Primary, Hamlyn Banks Primary, Clairvaux Catholic Primary and Nelson Park School all shut their doors as insurance assessors evaluated the damage and clean-up crews got to work.

Kardinia Childcare Centre and Kinder, Geelong West Kinder and Geelong’s Headstart Early Learning Centre were also shut.

Clairvaux principal Basil Flynn said a large amount of water had come through the ceiling of the Belmont school, causing damage to wiring, the roof and carpets in a number of classrooms and a communal area.

“I really feel for the parents because people are needing to get back to work and are having to organise babysitters and make different plans,” he said.

He said staff had been preparing for the first day of school when the storm hit.“In the worst area, everyone had to get out right away and get the power off because it was quite dangerous,” he said.

“People were grabbing bins and buckets but it was coming in quicker than we could do anything about.” He said “essentials” had been retrieved from classrooms but that some parts of the school had been made off limits. Mr Flynn was yesterday hopeful school would return on Monday — perhaps with some improvised classrooms in areas such as hallways — but said he was waiting on insurance assessors before making a final decision.