OTSEGO, Mich. — A fire at Dix Street Elementary in Otsego on Monday displaced students and staff, and there is no timeline for when they will be able to return to the building.
Emma Gannon, director of communications for Otsego Public Schools, said everything inside the building can't be accessed until remediation work is complete.
"Everything that was in our building right now is effectively lost," Gannon said.
The district has launched a donation drive for school supplies to help students and staff as they wait to return.
"Students need things like notebooks, pencils, pens," Gannon said.
Gannon said the response from staff has been remarkable during the disruption.
"I've been blown away by their emotional resilience, and how much they've been thinking about their students, and what's best for their students, when we are able to get back to return to learning," Gannon said.
Fourth grader Christian said he is ready to be back at school. I asked him what he'd tell his teacher.
"I miss them, and I miss my classmates," Christian said.
Watch: 'I miss them, and I miss my classmates': Otsego school fire leaves students without a classroom
Christian's parents, Candice and Josh Patrick, said they were relieved the fire broke out after school hours. The family is now navigating childcare challenges while the school remains closed.
"With the help of friends, family... we have close friends that are stepping up and willing to help. But it is challenging. Me, I'm ending up having to change my schedule, possibly, to where one of us is always home. But doing that is going to be quite difficult," Candice and Josh Patrick said.
Like many families, the Patricks say they are ready for things to go back to normal.
"Christian just wakes up in the morning and wants to go to school. And he... gets sad. He misses Heather Phillips, she's the best teacher he could have," Candice and Josh Patrick said.
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