RICHMOND, Va. -- Cardinal Elementary School, on Catalina Drive in South Richmond, will reopen on Tuesday, September 3, after a Monday night lightning strike damaged the school.
“We’re deeply grateful for the quick response of the Richmond Fire Department,” Richmond Superintendent Jason Kamras said in a statement Tuesday. “We also are so grateful to Principal Juvenal Abrego-Meneses, the Cardinal team, and the Operations team for jumping into action to get us ready for instruction on Tuesday.”
Fire and water damage to the school was mainly to the second and third-grade corridors on the first and second floors, according to the school district.
Journey Matlock
Journey Matlock, a fifth-grade student, is taking the extra long holiday weekend in stride.
"It's fun when you get the day off and you get to relax," she said. "I hope everybody is ok and everything is going to be OK."
Virginia James lives near the damaged school.
"It was real bad. It was smokey out here and then in the back it was real smokey!"
Raquel Brown is a former Cardinal Elementary parent.
"My house was actually rattling from the storm," she said. "My daughter woke up this morning and she was like well why can't I still go there? She was a little disappointed that she couldn't miss a day of school."
Jason Kamras is the Richmond Schools Superintendent.
"We're closed on Friday and Monday for the Labor Day holiday, but we will be back in business on Tuesday," he said. "The crews have been cleaning all night and through today. Most of the debris and water has been cleaned up."
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