Big-hearted Calhoun rebuilds school after fire destroys facility

Calhoun is a tiny town with a big heart.

The town, located just outside of Windsor in Henry County, is home to about 493 people who have worked hard the last six months to rebuild the building where their children are educated.

On Feb. 28, the honest, hard working residents of Calhoun were shocked to hear a fire had destroyed the building that housed grades seven through 12. According to Superintendent Kyle Powell, a fire investigator determined the blaze was arson and diesel fuel was used as an accelerant.

“A path of diesel was found in the hallway,” Powell said.

While others might be inclined to think a teenager committed the unthinkable crime, Powell said he can’t imagine one of his students setting a fire.

“We have good kids,” he said. “The biggest discipline problems we have are caps and (soda) pops inside the school building.”

Powell said the loss totaled $1.3 million, including the building and all its contents. Computers were melted and textbooks were charred, but Powell said the students also lost precious contents stored in their lockers.

“We had a senior girl who lost pictures of her dad who had passed away,” Powell said. “That was hard.”

The post-fire transition was also difficult.

Classes were held in the garage of the Calhoun Baptist Church parsonage which sits across the street, in the elementary school lunchroom and the district building library. Principal Jeanette Lawson held math class in the lobby of the elementary school. The students had to walk more to reach classes and had no bells to signal the end of class. Powell said he believes the district’s MAP scores suffered due to the fire.

“There was a definite grieving period,” he said. “Morale was low.”

Kevin Redding, who has served on the school board for five years, said he found out about the fire on the Saturday morning following the incident.

“I thought, ‘oh no,’ ” he said. Redding, who has two children attending Calhoun schools, said the board and the town were determined to keep school in session and rebuild.

And rebuild they did. Administrators and staff spent two days planning where and how classes could continue. A local business donated lunches for two days after the fire and residents began sending in donations.

“The money just poured in,” Powell said.

Businesses within a 50-mile radius sent printers and furniture and a $25,000 donation was gifted to the school in the name of longtime resident Lilian Dodson. Powell said the large monetary gift was used to expand the new building to include a fine arts room where the band and music classes are held.

“Everyone pulled together.”

The district plans to name the building in honor of the Dodson family.

Due to the money received from the insurance company and private donations, the district is debt free where the new high school is concerned, Powell said.

Six months after the fire, the new building was complete and school started on time. The students have new desks, lockers and textbooks. They also have a few upgrades including flat screen televisions, computers and smart boards. The hallway tiles spell out CHS Eagles in black and gold. Powell said the school is still waiting on security cameras and an intercom system to be installed.

“We have better facilities now,” Redding said.

Although school began on time and the students are enjoying the new facilities, Pam Little, program coordinator of Early Childhood Center, said the fire is still a touchy subject.

“The memory of the fire is still fresh,” she said. “We would like to see the people who did it caught.”

Little, who has three children who graduated from Calhoun, said seeing the school being demolished and rebuilt was bittersweet because her children had so many memories in the old building. Little said her son, Jeremy, assisted with the demolition and all three children returned for the school’s open house to celebrate the new building.

“The school is the heart of this community,” she said. “There was no doubt we would rebuild.”

Little said the school is close to her heart because her husband is also an alumnus of Calhoun and she has worked for the district for 16 years.

“My husband’s grandmother was valedictorian of her class here at Calhoun,” she said. “That’s why we have heart.”

Little said she wasn’t surprised at the way the community and surrounding areas stepped-up to help.

“We are small but strong,” she said. “This is a reminder of the benefits of growing up in a small community.”

Though the fire is still stirring anger, Powell said it time for the students and community to concentrate on the current school year.

“Onward and upward,” Powell said.