A “toxic stew of water” flooded the Hunter School of Performing Arts.

Double flood whammy for teachers

By Kerri Carr

Some teachers in the Hunter and Central Coast region have suffered the double whammy of storm and/or flood damage at both school and home following heavy rain and high winds on June 8.

Several schools and TAFE campuses suffered severe damage, including the Hunter School of Performing Arts at Broadmeadow, which caters for 1100 students in years K-12.

On June 14 Hunter School of Performing Arts Federation Representative Greg Douglas said about 30 ground floor classrooms, six or seven staffrooms, the library and the new $6.5 million theatre, orchestra pit and rehearsal room had been damaged by a "toxic stew of water" that had flooded the school after heavy rain caused stormwater drains to overflow.

He said he would be going home to continue to bail out water and that another teacher had received extensive damage to her house when a tree fell on her home.

Mr Douglas described the damage at school as "catastrophic". He said there was "masses of stinking carpet", swelling chipboard, lifting lino, damaged electrics and all the books on the bottom two shelves in the library were damaged.

"The lift well is a swimming pool," he said.

He said audiovisual equipment, musical instruments and computers were ruined, and teaching resources were lost when a server was damaged.

"Flood debris is three feet deep around the fences in the primary section. The quadrangles are absolutely filthy."

"It's a total disaster," he added.

Mr Douglas said there had been pressure from the Department to get students back to school.

He said he had three year 12 classes that he wanted to get back but there were health risks to consider.

He said staff were frustrated because they had no access to desks to prepare lessons and resources were scattered.

As a consequence of the flood damage in the Hunter and Central Coast region students were asked not to attend 82 schools and TAFE campuses at Glendale, Hamilton and Wyong on June 12 because of access and/or damage.

As the days went on and water subsided workplaces closed because of access were reopened. By June 18 all TAFE campuses were open, but several schools were not operating for all students. The Department of Education and Training advised that students at the Hunter School of Performing Arts and Cardiff High School would return progressively. Hamilton North Public School will operate temporarily out of Islington Public School, Hubbard Street, Islington, with extra facilities provided, including a demountable classroom.

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