Gilroy’s latest realization of the adage
”
a blessing in disguise
”
has manifested in a building filled with color, activity and
brand new school smell
– a far cry from July 2008 when the entire facility burnt to a
charred crisp. Full article
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Gilroy’s latest realization of the adage “a blessing in disguise” has manifested in a building filled with color, activity and brand new school smell – a far cry from July 2008 when the entire facility burnt to a charred crisp.
“This place looked pretty dismal after the fire,” said Gateway School Principal Laurene Beto. “The new school is beautiful. We’re really proud of it.”
Roughly 23 special needs students displaced three years ago after an arsonist torched their school returned April 11 to a $4.2 million facility – an occasion several likened to “coming home.”
The county-run establishment designated for students with severe mental and physical disabilities will celebrate its official grand opening at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at 7151 Hanna St.
Two arson fires were started in 2008 at the building; the second razed what remained after the first. The sprinkler system was no match for the raging fire, school staff said.
“I didn’t even get a spoon from my classroom,” said Heather Bass, a special education specialist who has been with Gateway for eight years. “It was decimated.”
Four classrooms of Gateway students and teachers were scattered throughout South County in the interim, settling in at Brownell Middle School, Glenview Elementary School, San Martin/Gwinn School, South County Community School and several others.
Despite having to uproot students from familiar surroundings and witnessing “years worth of work” incinerated, Beto said the transition away from, then back to Gateway has been smooth. She also impressed the temporary makeshift academic environments ultimately formed dynamic learning relationships between Gateway students and other students within the county.
“In a way, the fire brought us opportunities we never would have had – even in San Martin. We had a ball with those kids,” said Bass, referring to their experiences interacting with new faces at the interim school sites.
For one displaced student who was moved to Glenview during Gateway construction, Bass recalled a moment where Glenview students gathered around to sing happy birthday as a group.
“Just the spirit of being together,” she said. “It made the student’s mom cry.”
Even though they’re back in their own facility, Bass said Gateway will continue to interact with other schools – a social practice she said bolsters acceptance, appreciation and tolerance. Currently an adoption program is in the mix, something Bass said will facilitate the exchange of letters between Gateway students and other classrooms in the county.
Aside from new friendships, everyone is jazzed about their modern digs – a handful of features including an aesthetic courtyard, colorful multipurpose room, spacious offices, accommodating restrooms and a washer and dryer so students can develop practical life skills. A new playground and burgeoning hands-on garden are also in the mix.
It’s a milestone from April 28, 2010, when construction crews were just breaking ground.
“The new building is leagues better,” said Beto, who showed a picture of what Gateway looked like after it burnt to the ground.
In May 2009, police arrested a 16-year-old boy suspected of setting the first fire with matches. Police booked the boy, a special education student and minor who attended Gilroy High School, on one felony count of arson and released him to a guardian, police said. The boy has not been linked to the second Gateway fire.
Despite the grisly purging necessitating a near-total makeover, Beto told the Dispatch in July 2010 staff would make lemonade out of lemons.
As she strolled past a cozy library nook where a sprawling floor-to-ceiling window flooded the carpeted floor with light, she joked the new Gateway has less of an institution feel.
“We had a good designer,” she said, lauding Weston Miles Architects in Morgan Hill. “It’s full of color.”
Beto showed off Gateway’s spacious motor skills room filled with large blue floor pads and interactive materials in the forms of various shapes. During construction she said administrators had to cart their support tools from class to class.
“Teachers had to store stuff in their cars,” she laughed, kicking a pink rubber ball across the linoleum.
Outside in the courtyard, a large, built-in square of padded flooring allows students to not only get out of their wheelchairs, but outside in the sun – and comfortably on a soft, spongy surface.
“Students learning to walk, they have all of this open space,” said Bass, strolling across the cushy red veneer and spreading out her arms.
Beto added a tent providing shade is scheduled to be installed over the flooring as well; an important element as Bass noted some of Gateway’s students have seizures when exposed to light.
The new building also provides occupational and speech therapists that commute to various school sites with office spaces – a focalized place to regroup, reorganize and hammer out administrative work. Having the ability to develop professionally and house their service providers under one roof is important, Beto noted. The county nurse’s headquarters is also located onsite.
“We’re so spread out in the county,” said Beto. “We love having a place where we can meet together and build community.”
Earlier, as the two stood inside one of the bustling classrooms filled with preoccupied students, Beto said Bass’ class was hit the hardest.
For someone who lost everything and had to start over again from scratch, however, Bass’ attitude toward the entire ordeal is exponentially “glass is half full.”
“It’s just insane how beautiful this building is,” she said, grinning from ear to ear. “It’s an exciting place to be.”
