Lyman Hall students resume normal schedule after storm

GAINESVILLE - Lyman Hall Elementary School was back in session one day after the remnants of Tropical Storm Fay hurled a tornado at the school Tuesday afternoon.

School system officials were on hand when students and teachers arrived for class; system Director of Information Technology Dr. Aaron Turpin, a former Lyman Hall principal, said a large blue plastic tarpaulin covered the gymnasium roof where the tornado tore at it, but the rest of the school escaped damage.

"All areas have checked out with the exception of the gym and the gym foyer area, which includes some restroom faculties," Turpin said.

Students and teachers arrived on time to begin another day of school and the education routine was as normal as it could be after a frightening afternoon for around 150 school children who remained on campus during the storm.

"We've got counselors on site and on the way to work with students or teachers who maybe experiencing any concern over what they saw yesterday," Turpin said. "The facility itself is in great shape; all the classrooms are being utilized for instruction right now."

System maintenance workers jumped in shortly after the storm passed with backhoes and their bare hands to remove sections of the shattered roof, shattered by the twister.