NEWPORT, Tenn. — For the first time in over two weeks Tuesday, teachers and students at Newport Grammar School in Cocke County met face to face. Schools in the county closed after devastating flooding from Hurricane Helene, including Newport Grammar School.
The water fountains are not working, and some classmates aren't sitting at their usual desks. But it is still giving some students a sense of normalcy.
School administrators are collecting donations like food, feminine hygiene products, cleaning supplies, and more to distribute to students and staff. The school sent students home with forms so families could ask for more help if they needed it.
The school estimated up to 30 students were displaced after Helene and needed supplies. That number doesn't include teachers and administrators.
School administrators also said mental health resources will be available to students. Parents can pre-schedule a time for their students to get services with a counselor.
Students expressed relief to be back to school and on a schedule, including eighth-grader Wyatt Collins.
“It gives me a feeling of relief to know some things weren’t destroyed," Collins said. "I hope the people who had their homes destroyed can come here and take a breath."