The Louis-Arsène Meunier college was the most affected by bad weather in the Eure-et-Loir department after the Kirk surge. “We were completely flooded, with water levels ranging from 10 to 35 cm depending on the part of the building,” laments Xavier Le Mouel, the principal of the establishment.
The flood affected the entire basement of the establishment, including the catering service, the kitchens, the ground floor rooms and even the administration offices. “Everything was flooded. This caused significant damage to IT equipment, some of which had to be replaced. In front of the college, we only saw the antennas of the cars,” recalls Xavier Le Mouel.
Rescue teams dried out the premises for two days, with pumps powered by generators due to a widespread power outage. “Today, we still do not have an operational catering service because the electrical installation in the basements is damaged and requires major repairs,” indicates the head of the establishment.
The work will continue during the school holidays which begin next week but the situation remains complex. Power can only be fully restored once the electrical wiring is repaired and this could require more extensive interventions, such as digging trenches.
Faced with this emergency situation, parents of students also volunteered to help with cleaning operations. “It was impressive to see this solidarity,” confides Xavier Le Mouel.
Educational continuity ensured despite everything
To cope with this prolonged closure of the establishment, the principal asked teachers to put in place measures to ensure educational continuity. “We have established a system similar to that deployed during the Covid-19 pandemic but in a more streamlined manner. Teachers send homework and exercises via ENT and Pronote and direct communication between teachers and students has been facilitated.”
For parents, this organization is not always easy. Christelle, whose son is in 6th grade, shares her experience: “Frankly, it’s very complicated. I work and he stays home alone. You can imagine that work is not one of his priorities at his age, let’s just say it.” However, she highlights the clarity of the information provided by the college and the possibility of easily communicating with professors via Pronote.
Julie, whose daughter is in 5th grade, notes that the situation is going rather well for her: “My daughter regularly receives homework to do. But it doesn’t fill the day like a school day. She’s a little bored, but thanks to social networks, she stays in touch with her friends. »
Despite the challenges, the principal of the college remains optimistic about the reopening of the establishment at the start of the school year. “We are doing everything possible to ensure that the college is operational when classes resume,” he assures. “If necessary, we consider alternative solutions for catering service, such as distributing sandwiches to students. »
The collective effort of the teaching teams, the town hall services, the departmental council, the emergency services and the parents of students was decisive in limiting the damage and ensuring a resumption of classes in the best possible conditions, welcomes Xavier Le Mouel . However, the road remains long and work will have to continue after the start of the school year to repair deeper damage, such as humidity problems and structural damage.
The Kirk storm was a real blow for the Louis-Arsène Meunier college, but the mobilization and resilience of the entire educational community give hope for a peaceful return to school.
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