Sierra House not ready for all students; Al Tahoe to remain open

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Students and staff at Sierra House Elementary started their first day of school Monday, nine months after a fire caused significant damage to the building and moved students to other locations as work was completed to remove all damaged material and rebuild the inside.

Excitement about the return has been shortlived and shadowed by issues causing authorities to move many of the students back to Al Tahoe Elementary for classes until issues can be resolved on the campus.

On Monday a fire alarm was activated due to smoke detection from construction dust due to the grinding of a pipe, prompting evacuation from the school, according to school officials. Lake Valley Fire Marshall Brad Zlendick and Fire Chief Tim Alameda said students needed to be removed from the building until the school's nurse’s office, the speech and fire alarm closet, and the upper pod area are completed.

Starting Wednesday, September 11 and through Friday, September 13, students will be split between Al Tahoe Elementary and Sierra House Elementary, depending on grade. Some students will switch schools for lunch and recess. If needed, contact the school for exact times and bus schedule.

Of course, to throw more confusion into the situation, Thursday was a pre-scheduled minimum day for the other elementary schools' Back to School Nights. While Sierra House school will not hold its Back to School night on Thursday it will still have a minimum day.

On Friday, September 6, the district obtained approval to occupy specific areas of the school deemed safe for occupancy via the Division of State Architect (DSA) - the kitchen, lunchroom (½ of the MPR), four classrooms in the upper pod, the lower pod, the office, restrooms, and the portable classrooms. Later in the day, Chief Alameda insisted the upper pod not be reoccupied until the four remaining classrooms were completed. The district complied and moved those students to Al Tahoe school site on Monday.

Upon occupation of the school, the responsibility of fire and safety was transferred from DSA to Lake Valley Fire Protection District (LVFPD).

When the construction dust caused the alarm to go off Monday, Chief Alameda determined the following:

MPR: Half of the MPR is blocked off for construction. Because the MPR accordion wall is not fireproof, and for precautionary measures, the chief requests that the students receive their lunch by delivery to their classrooms.

Lower Pod: Chief Alameda is requesting to complete the construction of a firewall in the Speech room, adjacent to the nurse room and lower pod. For precautionary measures, he is requesting that the lower pod, including Kindergarten, Special Ed, and 1st-grade classes, be relocated until the firewall is constructed.

Portables: Chief Alameda approved the occupancy of the free-standing portable classrooms - 4th- and 5th-grade classes, and Ms. Pilsubry’s 2nd-grade class. These students may remain on campus.

Additional Fencing: Temporary chain link fencing is replacing the orange construction fencing and caution tape to address public concerns.

LVFPD will return to the school on Friday, September 13 to inspect the firewall installation adjacent to the lower pod, and if approved, will allow students to reoccupy the lower pod permanently. They will additionally inspect the upper pod so that all students will be back to the campus on Monday, September 16. Access to the upper pod will continue to be from the outside doorways until all construction is complete.

Belfor is in the process of removing Conex boxes on campus over the next two weeks.

If a parent has any issue or concern and wants to request independent study until the completion of construction, please see Shandi Ashmore in the front office at Sierra House school. The overall target date for completion of the entire school is Monday, September 23, 2019.

There was a Lake Tahoe Unified School District board meeting Tuesday night and this story will be updated if any new information about Sierra House was discussed.