Our schools fighting the tide

By Lilly O’Gorman
Principal Kym Bridgford said bus routes were cancelled through all potentially unsafe areas, including the South Gippsland Highway, Nar Nar Goon and Five Mile Creek Road buses.
“Two modified bus routes are still operating but we are hoping that we will be back to normal within a week, once all of the roads are fixed by the shire,” Mr Bridgford said.
He said about 480 students attended school yesterday, which was far more than the school expected, and very pleasing to teachers.
“Classes ran as normal, but we are monitoring conditions daily as there is still a lot of water down at Cora Lynn and Iona area,” Mr Bridgford said.
“Hopefully there won’t be any more rain and school resumes as normal on Tuesday.”
Despite fears that the school would be submerged, the principal made a visit to the school on Saturday to find the flood waters had caused no damage.
Beaconhills College Pakenham Campus and St Francis Xavier College Beaconsfield Campus also reported minimal damage.
Tony Scheumack, Beaconhills principal, said two bus routes were cancelled on Monday due to road closures.
“Lots of people were late for work and lots of students were late, across all of our campuses there were many disruptions,” Mr Sheumack said.
“The biggest issue was that there was a lot more damage to homes and all of our thoughts go out to the community.”
Four schools in the City of Casey did not open on Monday. Hampton Park Secondary College was the worst hit, with 60% of its rooms affected. It is expected to be closed for the rest of the week.
Cranbourne Carlisle Primary School and Lyndhurst Secondary College were closed on Tuesday and Lynbrook Primary School returned on Tuesday.