WHEELING — The Ohio County Schools central office and Board of Education annex sustained heavy water and mud damage during Saturday night’s flooding, and are being temporarily relocated.

Trucks could be seen as early as Sunday morning clearing out the mud from the school district’s lot, and the dirt and damage was even worse inside, according to Assistant Superintendent Rick Jones.

The good news is no school facilities within Ohio County Schools sustained damage due to the flooding.

“The only place we had damage is at our board office, thankfully,” Jones said. “But it is completely ruined — the back annex building and the main building.

“The boardroom is all mud, and everything is damaged.”

The time frame for clean up, repairs and a return to the building isn’t certain. Panhandle Cleaning and Restoration is handling the work.

“They’re telling us we should be back in before school starts (on Aug. 27), but I think that’s going to be a challenge,” Jones said. “I would think pretty soon after school starts, maybe in September. I don’t know what all they’re doing or how fast they work.”

Jones estimates about a foot of water, then a stream of mud, filled the central office building and annex Saturday night. Flooring will have to be replaced, and some walls.

“It’s not very pretty there right now,” Jones continued.

For now, the central office staff is relocating to Steenrod Elementary School.

“We’ll be there until teachers are close to coming back,” he said. “If we’re not done by then, we’ll have to move somewhere else. I don’t know where that will be. I haven’t gotten that far yet.”

The district’s new textbooks were locked in a vault-like spot in the basement called “the cage” where there is a pump, and were not affected by any water.

Most of the office technology sits up on top of desks, and also did not touch water or mud, according to Jones.

“The water didn’t get that high to ruin anything like that,” he continued. “But all the (electrical) wires have to be pulled because they were all saturated with mud.”

He credited all those who helped, including the school district’s summer maintenance and custodial employees.

The flooding has also caused emotional concerns within the district. Jones indicated the Ohio County Schools family had experienced personal losses as a result of the flood.

Administrators have set up crisis and grief counseling sessions with licensed therapists at Bridge Street Middle School to assist anyone in the public affected by the tragedy. First responders are also invited to come for help.

No appointment is needed, and counseling is available to children, adults and families at the following times:

∫ June 18: 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m.

∫ June 19: 9 a.m. to noon

∫ June 20: 1-4 p.m.

∫ June 23: 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

∫ June 24: 9 a.m. to noon.

The counseling was organized by Nicole Shepherd, behavior specialist for Ohio County Schools. Jason Frohnapfel, counselor with Achieve Mental Health; Joelle Moray, mental wellness coach, and Tyler Kilbane, mental health counselor, are among those donating their time, as well as Communities In Schools social workers and mental health counselors employed by Ohio County Schools.

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