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ALTON - Saints Peter and Paul Elementary School Principal Harry Cavanaugh remains optimistic about the future, despite some shifting of the foundation of the building and cracking inside.
The school, located at 801 State St. in Alton, has remained closed this week and this upcoming Monday morning, classes will begin again for students at Mark Twain School in Alton.
Until geologists investigate what happened, Cavanaugh said they will not know exactly what happened to cause the problems. He was not certain when the geologists will come to do their work, but he said they have been contacted and it should be soon. Until geologists make their assessments, the school administration will not know what to do to fix the structure or whatever other options they need to consider.
It could have been mine subsidence or erosion that caused the shifting and cracking, but that is only speculation, Cavanaugh said.
“The area where the school is located is where a quarry used to be,” he said. “We are insured to some amount if it is mine subsidence.”
When Cavanaugh was at the school on Dec. 28 on Christmas break, he didn’t notice any problems with the building, but a day later, one of the teachers noticed some cracking in a classroom in a northeast corner of the building.
The teacher called the next day and said, “I think we have some big problems here.” Cavanaugh said, “We locked the doors once we found out the problems so we wouldn’t have any traffic in the building.”
After the 10 o’clock Mass at Saints Peter and Paul this past weekend, a meeting was held to discuss the issues with the school.
Cavanaugh said he contacted the Alton School District officials and they were extremely supportive, allowing Saints Peter and Paul to use the vacant Mark Twain School for the remainder of the year, while they figure out what will happen with the old school building.
“Thank goodness we have somewhere to go,” the principal said.
Hornsey Moving in Wood River will move necessary desks, books, etc., to Mark Twain School on Friday, Cavanaugh said.
The principal said the difficulty in the process was finding somewhere to take eight classrooms. Saints Peter and Paul has a total of 88 students at present time.
Four piers have been placed in the building to stabilize it enough to move items out, then it will be vacated until it is repaired, Cavanaugh said.
A company has visited the school and will give a bid to lift the building, but Cavanaugh is uncertain how much that would cost and that is dependent on what the geologist decides.
The principal said he has had “fantastic support” from the parents, the parish and former graduates of Saints Peter and Paul School.
He said the school had a great Christmas program and everyone left with smiles on their faces, then they have been unable to return to school because of the structural issues of the building.
The Alton school has been in existence since 1908 and has a long, sacred history in the community.
Cavanaugh loves his teaching and support staff and said they all are exceptional people and go way above and beyond the call of duty each day for the students.
“The teachers are very selfless,” he said.
The principal said he looks forward to the students getting back in the classroom on Monday at Mark Twain School.
“We have had all kinds of calls and support from people who went to school here since this happened,” he said. “Those people want us to continue on and find a way to make things work for the future.”
