St. Joseph School Will Be Open Thursday

While most of the city's children were starting their first day of classes Wednesday, administrators and teachers at St. Joseph School in Meriden were still crossing their fingers in their quiet building on West Main Street – that they'd be able to open Thursday.

They got their wishes, according to Principal Kathy Spencer, who announced Wednesday afternoon that St. Joseph's first full day of school would be Thursday and the school will be fully operational.

The parochial school lost power during Hurricane Irene Sunday, and it didn't come back online until Tuesday night. That was too late to do the necessary inspections that the Archdioces requires of fire safety equipment in the building after a lengthy power outage, Spencer said, before Wednesday.

"It turns out it was a good thing, they discovered that a power surge blew out five of the emergency lights," Spencer said. The lights  – five of 25 throughout the building, and which were new – were replaced Wednesday. The building sustained no other damage due to the surge or the storm, Spencer said.

The school was one of the last in town to receive power, along with Casimir Pulaski public school, and was out even when the Church's nearby rectory and convent had electricity.

"People didn’t believe we didn’t have power because they’d drive by and the rectory and convent would have lights on," Spencer said. "We were an island."

As for school tomorrow, Spencer said she and her staff are geared up and ready to see students again.

"The teachers are very eager to meet their new students – every teacher that’s come in has said, 'I cannot wait to get my students back,'" Spencer said. "Their smiling faces are definitely going to be welcome sights."

Spencer said she would wait to see what kind of weather the winter brings before making any decisions to extend the calendar.

Thomas Edison Middle School, a magnet school that was originally scheduled to open Thursday, will now be the last school in the city to open its doors. Classes will begin at Edison on Tuesday, Sept. 6, according to its website, because of the hurricane. Details as to why were not avaialable at the time of publication.