On Sunday, the greater west suburban area was hit with storms that caused flooding, the effects of which are still being felt in OH and Oswego East High School (OEHS).
Due to flooding in the OH main gym, “[w]e had to get all those wrestling mats out and into the field house so that they were secured and not sitting in water,” said Gregory Scott, the OH head girls’ wrestling coach and PE teacher.
The main gym is currently closed, and gym classes have been routed to the auxiliary gym and other spaces until use resumes.
“I would say [the closure] kind of hard because the main gym is… where everything is at and where we store everything while us being here in the [auxillary] gym, we don’t really have space and like, we’re not really able to… really… collaborate with each other,” said OH senior Amylah Thomas.
According to the Aug. 17 OHS Building Update, due to the hard work of on-site teams, the school was spared the need for online learning. Outside of the main gym, classes resumed as usual, although it will take time before the gym is repaired to the damage.
“Unfortunately, [flooding] means the gym floor must be fully replaced,” stated SD308 Executive Director of Athletics Dan Artzen in an email sent out to students, parents, and staff.
“At this time, we have been advised that the replacement project is expected to be completed by the end of November,” Artzen’s email stated.
With the closure of the main gym, students’ schedules continue to be impacted due to the situation.
“I would say it’s pretty difficult just because access to the materials we usually use and stuff, that’s all located in the main gym supply closet, things like that,” said OH senior Mia Haseman.
“Our [Best] Buddies from last year [are] used to having gym meetings for attendance in the main gym. They’re ready to get back into those routines and then those routines have been changed,” Haseman added.
Other portions of the OH building, like the Athletic Office were also impacted and required maintenance attention to remove water.
OEHS was also impacted by Sunday’s heavy rains. According to the Aug. 17 and 18 OEHS School News postings, classes were forced to go online on Monday and Tuesday before returning in person on Wednesday.
A video report from WGN depicted the significant damage rain caused in the building due to a malfunctioning drainage system in the roof.
You can just call me Max. I write about things that interest me. This is my second year on the team and I'm in 12th grade. You can contact me by emailing 42Fifty@sd308.org and putting my name in the subject line. We welcome comments on our articles and feedback on our publication
[…] Sun., Aug. 17, a heavy storm hit OH, causing damage to the main gym. At the same time, the OH girls’ volleyball team was also preparing for the upcoming season. […]
[…] replacement became necessary after severe water damage ruined the old floor and made it unusable. OH Athletic Director Daniel Arntzen said the project prioritized collaboration with students and […]