Teachers are detailing the impacts from flooding that damaged 20 classrooms and learning spaces at Las Lomitas Elementary School in the beginning of January.

Las Lomitas Education Association sent a Jan. 20 statement to The Almanac that lays out how students, teachers and other staff at the Atherton school have been displaced by the damage. Half the campus was underwater during the flooding.

"The damage done to the Las Lomitas Elementary School campus was heartbreaking," according to the teachers union statement. "Teachers had spent countless hours creating a welcoming, nurturing, and safe learning space filled with both purchased and teacher-created resources for their young students only to have many materials damaged."

Teachers at the 299 Alameda de las Pulgas campus were placed into any available space left. The librarian and computer teacher came into each classroom to find new ways to implement their programs after students lost access to the computer lab and the library space. Students also lost access to the quiet zone that operates during recess and lunch, as well as the play structure, teachers said. As of Jan. 31, tanbark was back in the play structure.

The administrative team and office staff temporarily relocated to the teacher work room.

Moving and unpacking have become a regular occurrence on campus, and restoration of flooded rooms will take until around Feb. 8 for some rooms and three to four months for others, according to the union and a district report given at the Jan. 11 school board meeting.

"What has become clear throughout the challenges of the last few weeks and the challenges that continue even now is what an adaptable, resilient and supportive community we have at Las Lomitas," teachers said. "Parents generously volunteered their time to help with the moves into new learning spaces. They also provided breakfast and lunch for staff throughout the first week back. Feeling such overwhelming support bolstered morale, bringing teachers together to break bread when they typically work in their classrooms during lunch."

After students were dismissed on Jan. 9, Las Lomitas and La Entrada Middle School teachers worked together to unpack hundreds of boxes and set up new classrooms. Many rooms had five to six teachers, staff and parents who to set up rooms that were welcoming and functional for instruction, teachers said.

"It was a remarkable feat and while there is still much to do, teachers are incredibly grateful for this amount of support," they said. "The maintenance crew worked extra hours to move items and ensure spaces were safe and clean for children. The construction company has worked tirelessly preparing the new learning spaces ahead of schedule and fixing any things that are needed."