Gilroy
– It was business as usual at most schools Monday following a
chaotic week in which two fires, and two acts of vandalism damaged
four different schools. But at Glen View, where a fire March 29
destroyed a wing, students from four classrooms were forced to move
to other sites on campus.
Gilroy – It was business as usual at most schools Monday following a chaotic week in which two fires, and two acts of vandalism damaged four different schools. But at Glen View, where a fire March 29 destroyed a wing, students from four classrooms were forced to move to other sites on campus.
Meanwhile, police and fire officials are closing in on possible suspects in one fire and in one act of vandalism.
“They’re narrowing in on some suspects in the Rod Kelley fire,” said Superintendent Edwin Diaz, referring to a fire in a trash container March 26. Fire and police officials have not linked it to last Tuesday’s fire at Glen View School. The cause of that fire is still unknown, but it has been called arson.
“We’re hoping to find out soon,” said Gilroy Fire Department Division Chief Ed Bozzo.
No leads have surfaced after a $1,000 reward was offered on Friday. While no motive is apparent, fire officials are investigating possible connections that suspects may have to the school, Bozzo said.
The Bureau of Alcohol Firearms and Tobacco, which also handles arson investigations, was notified but Gilroy Fire Department is handling the investigations.
“(In situations like this) it’s always something we look at,” said Mike Terasaki, school resource officer. “We look at it as if it was a student getting back at the school.”
Also on March 26, a Pepsi machine at Ascension Solorsano Middle School was destroyed and the change stolen. Police are also still investigating a break in at Antonio Del Buono School that occurred sometime that same weekend, which left areas covered with white dust from fire extinguishers set off inside hallways and administration rooms.
Because Glen View is one of the oldest schools in the district, a cost analysis must be done to determine whether rebuilding and upgrading the scorched wing would be more expensive than completely rebuilding. A timeline of rebuilding costs and a housing plan for the four classrooms will be presented to the school board during Thursday’s meeting, Diaz said. Damage estimates range anywhere from $800,000 to $1.5 million.
Neither Rod Kelley nor Glen View have security cameras. However, Ascension Solorsano Middle School does – and they caught an elderly man on the campus, suspiciously close to the area the Pepsi machine was located.
“This was not students,” said Ascension Principal Sal Tomasello. “We have an image of the individual – an elderly person on a bike pulling a wagon. It looks like he had some tools.”
Police are examining the tape to determine the individual’s identity and question his presence at the school after hours.
Monday morning, students arrived at Glen View walking hand in hand with their parents, curiously staring at the boarded up classrooms – some unaware that a fire ripped through the building less than a week ago. The faint smell of cinder still loomed overhead and on the playground, little eyes wandered towards the blackhole that used to be classrooms.
“He was surprised when I showed him today,” said Cruz Alvarado after she escorted her son John to his first grade classroom. “He didn’t know there was a fire.”
The impact on the children is what assistant superintendent Steve Brinkman is concerned about.
“School fires inconvenience so many people – but it cuts into the hearts of the children. They’re going to remember this for the rest of their lives,” he said.
Crews worked all weekend to clear school materials of smoke damage and transform the library and resource rooms for the students and teachers moving in to them Monday.
“The kids all had places to go,” said Gilroy Unified School District’s maintenance and operations manager, Jeff Gopp. “There was very little disruption.”
To prevent the students from being distracted throughout the day, teachers showed students the burned wing early on.
“Teachers are going to line up the kids so they can walk by to see (the damage) – so they can get the curiosity factor out of the way,” said Charlie Van Meter, Gilroy’s director of facilities planning development and construction.
Faculty and staff at Glen View are hoping for a return to normalcy. A general announcement over the public address system was made by Principal Marilyn Ayala welcoming students back, trying to maintain a sense of routine.
“Things are going very well. It’s very calm, very uneventful,” Ayala said. “Students are unpacking their personal belongings into desks.” She reported that a number of donations are still arriving for the teachers and students effected by the fire: “That’s what’s been amazing – the community support.”
After hearing the students lost supplies, the Gilroy Chamber of Commerce in conjunction with Gilroy Rotary and the Exchange Club, came up with more than $1,100 which they spent on crayons, paper, scissors, rulers and binders for 110 students.
“We felt it was important for the kids to start off fresh,” said president and CEO of the Gilroy Chamber of Commerce, Susan Valenta. “Because this could be very traumatic for them.”
Anyone with information regarding the fire is asked to call the tip line at 846-0395. There is a $1,000 reward for any information that leads to the conviction of the person(s) responsible.
