Over 200 students displaced by suspicious fire at Kootenay school

It would normally be a bustling week at Amy Woodlands school in Cranbrook, B.C. But instead, the school is shuttered, entrances are boarded up and the building is surrounded by fencing. 

A fire at the elementary school in June has displaced hundreds of students and dozens of teachers and staff.

Cranbrook RCMP have said the cause of the fire is suspicious and continue to investigate. At the beginning of July, the detachment identified several "persons of interest" in the case after conducting a video canvass of the area. 

But as students return to school across the country, the 240 students in 13 classrooms at Amy Woodland are now spread out over several schools across the East Kootenay city. 

Classes relocated

Pamela Hellewell is the chair of the school's Parent Advisory Committee (PAC) and has two children entering grades 1 and 3 this year. Usually, her kids would be at Amy Woodland, but now they're separated in two different schools. 

She says it's been a tough summer for all the school's families.

"Emotions are high. Questions are many," she told CBC News. 

Amy Woodland is one of seven elementary schools in Cranbrook, located within School District 5. 

The district says all classes have been successfully relocated to other schools for the foreseeable future. Buses are still running to and from Amy Woodland, so families have a central drop-off and pick-up location, and some students are still able to walk to school. 

Families were also able to request transfers so all of their kids could attend the same school. Former Amy Woodland students are now officially enrolled in whatever school they are attending. 

No timeline for reopening 

Jason Tichaeur, the safe school co-ordinator and director of student learning and Indigenous education for SD5, says there is no current time frame for when the school will reopen, which is hard for families like Hellewell's. 

"For parents and teachers, that is the biggest thing sitting on our shoulders still — the questions about what is going to happen. When are we going to be a family again?... There are still questions: Will it be a reno? Will it be a full rebuild? Will they ever even build Amy Woodland again?" said Hellewell. 

In an emailed statement to CBC News, B.C.'s Ministry of Education and Child Care says the extent of the fire damage is still being assessed to determine the scale of loss. 

"The Province and District appreciate everyone's patience while this assessment process continues," said the statement. 

"The Ministry of Education and Child Care recognizes how important schools are to local communities and families. The impact is felt greatly across the community as a supportive place that kids and their families rely on to help them learn and grow."

Fire destroys school contents, teacher's supplies

The fire, which was believed to have started in the gymnasium on June 30, has left the school and most of its contents unusable. 

In the meantime, Tichaeur explained that district staff, and the staff and teachers at Amy Woodland, have been working through the summer to get classrooms set up in various locations. He says many teachers lost important lesson plans and resources. 

"We have situations where basically entire teachers' life's work have potentially been lost," said Tichaeur. 

He says the school board has been able to order new desks, chairs, shelving, technology and other essential classroom supplies while the community has been fundraising all summer.

"Can we replicate everything? Probably not, over the course of a month or two, but I think we've done the best we can to outfit our classrooms," said Tichaeur. 

Hellewell says they've received hundreds of books, games and other supplies through local book drives and raised money through barbecues and other events. 

"The feedback I'm hearing from teachers and staff is so much gratitude to the community for their donations. It's amazing," she said. 

Hellewell says the PAC at Amy Woodland has officially folded since the school is technically no longer enrolling students. But she and the other PAC members hope to keep the friendships and relationships formed at Amy Woodland alive by hosting events throughout the school year. 

"The hurdle before us is huge. It's a huge unknown … and to not see each other in the hallways, it's going to be hard. But they're making do the best they can."