Oregon Public Broadcasting

Marysville Elementary School teachers and students and are preparing to go back to school Monday following the fire that destroyed their school.

They’ll be attending Rose City Park school in Southeast Portland -- and the surrounding community is excited about re-opening that school as well. It’s going to house the 435 students who were displaced by the fire. Ryan Knutson reports.

Amber Gerber is organizing text books into her new 7th-grade classroom, which, right now, is pretty bare.

Gerber is one of dozens of teachers scrambling today and tomorrow to prepare their curriculum and set up new classrooms in an unfamiliar school.

Normally, teachers take about two weeks to set up a classroom before the school year begins. But since half of Marysville Elementary School was destroyed in fire on Tuesday, teachers have only had two days to prepare.

Students will start class here on Monday morning at 8:45, anxious, and ready to learn.

Amber Gerber: “This is my new classroom. Which on the bright side is much larger and has a beautiful view.”

While teachers prepared the classrooms, students, who had no school Thursday or today, attended a nearby Boys and Girls Club. The club opened its doors early to take in kids who otherwise had no place to go.

12-year-old Nathaniel Darling is in the 7th grade, and says he usually comes to the Boys and Girls Club after school. For him, two days of playing air hockey, pool and foos ball have been a bonus.

Nathaniel Darling: “I’ve been talking to some staff, and I’m like, ‘So, this technically is a school day?’ And they’re like, ‘Yup, pretty much.’ And I’m like, ‘This is an awesome school day.’ Because you get cookies and all that kinda stuff.”

But he along with other children are a bit apprehensive about the transition to a new building, which is about 5 miles away from their old school.

Marysville is nestled in a suburban neighborhood, and nearly all of its students walked to school. Now, some will get a ride from mom and dad, but many will have to take the bus.

Eight-year-old Alissa Miller is one of them.

Alissa Miller: “I was in Marysville ever since I was five. I just don’t really want to go to a different school but I have to. I really hope that all my friends will be in the same class as me again.”

Meanwhile, at Marysville, investigators are thoroughly examining what’s left of the building.

Lt. Allan Oswalt is a spokesman for Portland Fire, and he says it’s going to take some time before investigators can figure out what caused the blaze.

Not all of the building was destroyed. And  this week technology staff from Portland Public Schools scoured the non-damaged areas for electronic equipment, such as interactive white boards, projectors and laptops.

Nicholas Jwayad is the technology director for Portland Public Schools.

Nicholas Jwayad: “A lot of the technology on this side of the building was salvageable -- we think -- so we’re looking at opportunities we have to get this cleaned up and redistributed out to Rose City so its as seamless of a transition as it can be.”

School officials are also grabbing whatever personal belongings they can find to return to students. The items will be cleaned, and waiting for students to pick up at Rose City Park.

Like Marysville, Rose City Park is an older school building.

Marysville is 88-years old, and Rose City Park is 98-years old.

Neither school has a sprinkler system to help douse fires. But Matt Shelby, spokesman for Portland Public Schools, says  the fact that everyone made it out safely during the fire at Marysville is a testament to good preparation and the importance of the numerous fire drills students participate in each year.

Matt Shelby: “When we had a fire, staff new exactly what they were supposed to do. Our students knew exactly what they were supposed to do. And even if you have a building with sprinklers, there is no better thing than proper planning and getting out of the building.”

And one of the first things Marysville students will do next week is participate in fire drills at Rose City Park.

Meanwhile, neighbors of Rose City Park are eager for the building to come back to life. The school was closed in 2007 during a city-wide reorganization.

Craig Ferroggiaro moved into the neighborhood about three years ago, and hoped that his three children could attendRose City Park.

His kids now go to a different school. But he’s pleased that his kids will have more companions on the Rose City playground, about two blocks from his house.

Craig Ferroggiaro: “I think it’s great. Our only concern is that we live right on 59th, and we’re wondering how the traffic is going to be, but the kids have to go to school so it’s a good thing.”

Doug Scofield has lived across the street from the playground for 40 years. He and his wife are thrilled they’ll get to enjoy the sights and sounds of children playing again.

Doug Scofield: “It’s a beautiful school -- it’s 100 years old. Our kids went to school there and our grandkids went to school there.”

Rose City Park has a lot of steps and lacks some access for disabled students.  School officials say those students will be accommodated on a case by case basis.

The move to Rose City Park is meant to be temporary, but school officials aren’t sure how long that will be.