Bay St. Louis - Waveland School District
 

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From the Superintendent

Dr. Kim Stasny

All buildings took on water from the storm surge or from extensive roof damage. The waters left behind thick mud that contaminated all areas of the buildings. High humidity and temperatures exceeding a heat index of 100 degrees lasted for days after the storm. Mold and mildew grew rapidly and spread to furniture, walls, ceilings, and A/C ductwork. Mechanical equipment on every campus was damaged by the salt water, rendering them dangerous and useless. The infrastructure for both the wide area and local area networks was destroyed. Servers were damaged beyond repair, along with most computers and monitors throughout the district. Anything made of paper became contaminated with mold and mildew and had to be disposed. Legs of desks were pitted by the salt water and began rusting immediately, sometimes adhering to the floor. Ceiling tile sagged and floor tile buckled from humidity and water. Loss of buildings and contents has been estimated at $40M. Insurance, FEMA, and MEMA will cover some costs but not all.

Grade configurations will remain the same as before the storm until rebuilding is complete.

* North Bay and Waveland Elementary Community Schools (grades K-3)

* Second Street Elementary School (grades 4 + 5)

* Bay-Waveland Middle School (grades 6 - 8)

* Bay High School (grades 9 - 12)

* Bay-Waveland Alternative School (grades 4 - 12)

By May 2006, 62% of the pre-Katrina school population had returned. The district is planning for an 80% return rate during the '06-'07 school year.

Local revenue has decreased by at least 50%, creating strained budgets and overall belt tightening.

We hope you will consider a donation amount to aid in our recovery. Please send your check or money order to the following address:

Katrina Relief Fund
Bay St. Louis-Waveland School District
201 Carroll Avenue
Bay St. Louis, MS 39520

If you would like to speak to someone about our efforts, please call 228-467-6621.

Where we are:
As I reflect on the past eleven months, we've accomplished many goals. The following facts may give you a snapshot of our progress.

As of August 7, 2006, our school enrollment has reached 65.5% of pre-storm numbers. Out of 2,380 students, 1,560 have returned.

 Most of our students (96%) now qualify to eat free. Prior to the storm, only 60% of our students qualified.

 Estimates for recovery have exceeded $40M. This includes rebuilding two elementary schools and renovating others.

 Our tax base revenue is expected to be 50 to 65% less than previous years. Until families rebuild and businesses reopen, local contribution will be insufficient.

 Unemployment in Hancock County has increased from 4.9% to 20.6%.

We've been able to replace 120 computers out of the 800 we lost.

 We only have two cafeterias in operation. Food is transported to two campuses and students from the high school walk to the middle school to eat.

 


Katrina & The Bay-Waveland School District

The Bay St. Louis-Waveland School District struggles to survive in the aftermath of a devastating storm.

~[ An Entire District: Shattered, Drowned,  and Blown to Bits ]~

Post Katrina Photos of Bay-Waveland Schools

After a tour of the schools, by way of these pictures, you'll wonder how things were ever put back together. The alternative school was so completely destroyed that the tallest thing left standing was a piano - lying on its back. Brick walls were blown out; furniture and belongings tossed about like feathers...
[see photos]
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~[ The First 70 Days ]~

Narrative by Dr. Stasny

"In a weekly meeting, one of the FEMA representatives suggested to me that I could have looked up necessary regulations on the web before I made any decisions regarding contractors. It was then that I realized that most of the government representatives seated around me had absolutely no idea what I faced when I returned to the district. To suggest the use of a computer was laughable. We had no Internet connection; no electricity. Indeed, we had no water..." [read more]
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~[ The Camera Lens of Edouard Glück ]~

Photos by Edouard Glück

One of the most amazing photographers that visited the school district was Edouard Glück. He gave us a breath-taking set of images that reveal some of the tattered edges of our schools, our community, and our volunteers left in the wake of Katrina. [see photos]
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~[ The Amazing Red Horse ]~

Florida Task Force At Bay Middle School

When the calvary came riding over the hill, they did so in the form of the 202nd Red Horse Batallion. The Florida Task Force was instrumental in rebuilding the school district. We owe them, and Governor Jeb Bush a debt that can never be repaid. [learn about this group]
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~[ Donations by the Truckload, Volunteers by the Bus load! ]~

Volunteers From Chapel Hill, NC

If you were touched by the storm in any way, you know that the real first responders were volunteers and the life blood of the school district came from donations. While Washington congressmen debated and postured, volunteers flooded into the school district. And as we filed paperwork by the truckload in an attempt to qualify for FEMA grants, donors poured money and goods into our broken district.
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~[ Rebuilding ]~

A "New" Central Office

There is a riddle that goes like this: How do you eat an elephant? The answer is: One bite at a time. That is how the school board, administration, teachers, and staff have worked to reassemble the district. It's a patchwork quilt of metal portables attached to salvaged buildings with temporary awnings. But it works.

In a few years, as money becomes available, new facilities will begin to spring up for the students. But for now, most will remember their school days as time spent either sitting in metal portable classrooms or tromping over the planks of wooden walkways.
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~[ Annual Report On the Schools]~

A "New" Central Office

This newsletter is in PDF format. It contains a report on what has taken place in the district since Hurricane Katrina. It also answers important questions that have arisen, such as:

  • Will a new high school be built on Old Spanish Trail?
  • How is insurance money being spent?
  • How long will the portable classrooms be in use?
  • Will the elementary schools be combined?

This is a must read for anyone who wants to know about what is going on in the schools. Click here to read the newsletter. (It make take a several seconds to open.)
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