Tuesday, January 17, 2012

NEWS RELEASE -- Birney Elementary School Reopens After Fire

NEWS RELEASE from the San Diego Unified School District, Jan. 17, 2012

BIRNEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL REOPENS AFTER FIRE

SAN DIEGO -- Alice Birney Elementary School will reopen on Wednesday, Jan.
18, following an early morning fire on Jan. 17 that damaged the school's
combination auditorium-cafeteria and adjacent kitchen. There were no
injuires reported.

The International Studies Magnet School will begin its Winter quarter on
Wednesday, a day late. Birney is on a year-round schedule and its more
than 500 students have been on vacation since Dec. 19. Staff has been
working all day to ensure that a safe school is available for students on
Wednesday.

"It should be close to a normal day for us," said Amanda Hammond-Williams,
principal. "We'll talk with our students about what happened, then it's
back to work."

The full cost of repair is still being determined by San Diego Unified
School District staff. There was fire and smoke damage to the building,
which is separate from other structures at the campus. Structural repairs,
and replacement of fixtures and equipment will be funded by the district,
however there were losses of materials for the school's drama and before-
and after-school programs that are not expected to be covered.

"We estimate that it will cost about $50,000 to replace all the materials
we had stored in the auditorium," said Hammond-Williams. Donations to the
school can be made through the foundation, which is online at
http://friendsofalicebirney.org/

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Jack Brandais | Communications Department | San Diego Unified School
District | (619) 725-5570 (Desk) | (619) 607-0477 (Cell)

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