Classroom flooding displaces students

Danette Goulet

NEWPORT BEACH -- Heavy rains and rising ground water flooded several

classrooms at Lincoln Elementary School last week, causing extensive

damage and uprooting classes.

Seven classrooms of students have been relocated, said Principal

Barbara Rothman-Haddock, who sent a letter to parents Thursday.

With the recent departure of Newport Coast Elementary School students,

there was plenty of room to accommodate the displaced classes.

“The disruption was really very minimal,” Rothman-Haddock said.

District officials have begun some repairs and hired Driver-Eddy

Construction to assess the damage and any potential health risk the

flooding may cause. Other companies may also need to be hired, officials

said.

“Four [rooms] flooded extensively,” said Mike Fine the district’s

assistant superintendent of business services. “We’ve had to pull up the

carpet and take it away to be chemically cleaned and dried.”

The flooding affected two classrooms and two computer labs. Classes

were also moved out of three surrounding rooms, so workers would not

disturb students, Rothman-Haddock said.

Although there are some leaky roofs at the school, Fine said, the

problems stem from subterranean water coming to the surface.

A couple of students have suffered allergic reactions because of the

damp conditions, and one moved to another school to seek relief,

Rothman-Haddock said.

“But that’s a unique situation,” she said.

There was no evidence of mold beneath the carpets, so workers are

inspecting vents and filters for what might be causing the allergic

reactions, she said.