Moore Educators Band Together To Help Cleanup At Southgate Elementary

At Southgate-Rippetoe Elementary School it was all hands on deck as both teachers and administrators from several Moore public schools came out to help with cleanup and recovery efforts.

Teachers, friends and family members brought out box after box, trying to salvage anything they could from inside the classrooms.

For Nikki McCurtain it was case of déjà vu. She's a teacher at Plaza Towers Elementary School and had her classroom destroyed in the May 20, 2013 tornado.

“It's obviously emotional,” said McCurtain. “But I love that they are able to take their classrooms with them where they are going and they have all their stuff!”

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McCurtain says looking at the damage at Southgate reminds her of looking at the destruction at Plaza Towers, but she says she's glad once again the people of Moore rallied together to help each other recover.

“And it's good to pay back and pay it forward,” said McCurtain. “It's really great to help out.”

Julie Adams is also lending a helping hand. Her sister is a 3rd grade teacher at Southgate-Rippetoe Elementary School.

“Her room was not damaged at all, we were lucky,” said Adams. “But we've just been told to pack everything up. So that's what we are doing.”

Both Julie and Nikki are glad no teachers or students were inside the school this time when the tornadoes hit; unlike what happened at Plaza Towers and Briarwood elementary schools when the storms hit while school was still in session.

And just like Briarwood before them, the students and teachers at Southgate-Rippetoe Elementary School will be housed temporarily at Emmaus Baptist Church. That is where they will stay until they can determine what will be done with their building.