Ida's Wrath: St. Peter Chanel Takes A Hit

In the three weeks since Hurricane Ida left in indelible mark in Paulina, causing widespread damage in the area, students at St. Peter Chanel Interparochial School have been waiting to return to school. 

And, it appears the wait will continue for another week.

“We had five buildings with roof damage,” said principal Paula Poché. “The roof damage allowed rainwater inside the buildings.”

On Aug. 31, two days after the storm, Poché and her family, including her husband and three daughters, went to work, cleaning Building C, which houses grades second through fifth, to prevent further issues. She said St. Peter Chanel maintenance workers Mac Roddy and Wilson Malbrough also helped, sealing up broken windows that were allowing more rain to infiltrate the building. 

She said she was also able to clean the cafeteria, which had broken windows and some leakage from the roof. Poché said the school’s massive front awning was ripped off the building, but it was taken care of thanks to the helping hand of a local farmer.

“Father Frank Uter, our visiting priest (at St. Joseph’s Church in Paulina), met with a local parishioner and farmer, Ricky ‘Possum’ Roussel, who came and took a tractor and moved it from the front of the building,” said Poché. “Father Uter was instrumental in getting this removed.  He then set up Mass in the cafeteria for the weekend.  The cafeteria has a generator so A/C and lights were available.”  

According to Poché, both Building C and the cafeteria had total roof replacements during the summer of 2017.  She said the buildings have flat roofs and only the metal flashing along the storm side of the buildings was torn off, so most of the water came from broken windows. 

 St. Joseph pastor Father Vincent Dufrense is on sabbatical out of the country, according to Poché. However, he has been in contact with her “to stay informed of the situation.” He is scheduled to return Sept. 22, she said.

Roof damage and water damage also happened in Building B, which houses kindergarten and first grade. 

“The roof leak caused ceiling tiles to fall inside the building,” said Poché. “The ceiling tiles have asbestos so that building was closed off.  It is presently in the clean-up phase but we’ll have to get more information on whether the entire building ceilings have to come out due to the water that leaked onto tiles in all classrooms.”

Work on that roof was completed during the summer to reseal it. The administration building and middle school building also had roof damage and broken windows, Poché said.

“Rain water caused leakage onto the second floor wood floor down through the first floor office foyer,” she said. “Due to not having electricity, the area now has mold growing.”  

Also, the wind ripped off the roof of both a portable building and the walkway.

With the damage assessments finalized, the repairs have slowly begun. Poché said temporary roofs were put in place Sept. 5; electricity was restored Sep. 13; and, restoration services are underway to deal with asbestos and mold.

 “Makeshift classes will be set up in the gymnasium to house fifth through seventh grades, and kindergarten and first grade are being moved into Building C,” said Poché.  “The office is being moved to a temporary building until all repairs or renovations can take place.” 

She said school is scheduled to reopen Sept. 27.