Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/1081161
I N T H E H O R R I F I C Camp Fire in November, educators in Par- adise did a miraculous job of ferrying students away from the inferno that consumed schools, churches, stores and houses — getting kids to safety in nearby communities. While no students were harmed, all but one of the Paradise Unified schools suffered sig- nificant damage or were destroyed. e fabric of the tight-knit town was stretched to the limit with homes of educators, retirees, school board members and students in ashes. Eager to get their students back into a school routine, Paradise Inter- mediate School (PINT) set up classes 25 miles away in Chico in a vacant Orchard Supply Hardware store. It is not the most inviting environment: Overhead signs still show where the garden supplies, paint and appli- ances once were, and aisles still divide the space. Educators did their best to make it comfortable and conducive to learning. Knowing the emotional and physical trauma the wildfire inflicted on Paradise educators, California Casualty is providing a School Lounge Makeover to PINT. California Casualty, which provides auto and home Insurance to CTA members, is gifting the $7,500 makeover to offer a more sooth- ing, useful area for instructors and support personnel to take a break, relax and recharge. A Lounge of Their Own Paradise educators get a special space from California Casualty Celebrating the gift (from left): Reiner Light, Camp Fire education administrator; David Smith, TA of Paradise president; Mike Greer, PUSD board member; Christy Forward, CalCas field marketing manager; Kat Stevens, teacher; Cris Dunlap, principal; Valerie Murufas, educational specialist; Larry Johnson, co-principal; Susan Green, CTA Board member; Michelle John, PUSD superintendent; Mark Leach, Chico area UniServ staff. 62 cta.org CTA & You