Classroom Flood

April 2013

This was one of the craziest days at work I have ever experienced! Who knew when I got up that morning that my classroom would be completely flooded that day. I am so grateful for all the people who helped get me through that day and the following few. The students were so understanding and flexible. It was a disaster, but could have been much worse!

Mrs. Bigham and I were eating lunch in my classroom, and we heard the toilet flush (kindergarten classrooms have an attached bathroom). But the toilet didn't stop and we knew no one was in there. I looked and it was starting to overflow. We both looked for where to turn the water off and didn't see anywhere. So while Mrs. Bigham tried to keep the water in the bathroom.. and not to get onto the carpet. I ran (literally ran) down the hall to get the janitor, Karolyn. She was in the lunchroom and I had her (run) come back with me. She needed some tools to turn off the water. We are still containing the water in the bathroom (wish the bathroom would have had a drain). Karolyn returns with the tools and proceeds to turn the knob with the wrench and the front of the pipe busts off!!!! (OH NO!!) Karolyn is drenched from head to foot and she yells at me to get the ladder from her office. I RUN (at full speed... passing all the first graders going to lunch... I grab the ladder and run back through the first graders... telling them to watch out) (by this point I'm in real panic mode). Mr. Gale and Mrs. Bigham start picking up anything that could get ruined while I am gone getting the ladder and when I get back the whole room is covered in water (in less than 2 minutes). Karolyn gets into the ceiling with the ladder and turns the water off with the pipe up there.

Wow it was a fiasco! :) The afternoon kindergarten are about here, my  student teacher- Mrs. Brown and Mrs, Bigham take ALL the afternoon kindergarten students into her room while we start pulling the water out of the carpet... Wow what a day.

The carpet had to dry for a few days (luckily we had a few days off for Easter) then I had to put my classroom together over the weekend... quite the adventure! :)

A memorable day I will never forget! :) The parent volunteer helpers pitched in and the rest of the teachers and administration were so helpful! Team work was a for sure blessing that day!