BERRY CREEK STUDENTS GIFTED TEDDY BEARS
Berry Creek Schoolwas destroyed in the North Complex Fire
OROVILLE » All of the 35 families at Berry Creek School lost their homes but one. That’s 51 out of 53 students. And of the 12 faculty members, eight lost their homes.
Principal Patsy Oxford’s
home survived the fire, but she’s brought to tears when she thinks of the students who lost everything.
She and other faculty members came together to do a giveaway for the campus community on Friday. They hope to do one every couple of weeks. Smiling faces arrived to claim their
teddy bears, blankets, gift cards and lunch for the day.
“We’re here to support them. We’re here for the long haul,” Oxford said.
Chris Steele, an eighthgrader, eagerly grabbed everything he could. His family is living in an RV on their burned property. They’re one of only five families who’ve been able to go back up to Berry Creek.
“Everywhere else is uncomfortable to stay. I’ve lived up there my whole life. I don’t know any other place,” Steele said while holding tight to his new blanket.
The giveaway took place at
Ophir Elementary, the temporary location of Berry Creek School. The day after the North ComplexWest Zone fires, Superintendent Spencer Holtom of Oroville City Elementary School District reached out to Oxford to see how he could help. That same week, the temporary location was established.
The pandemic has made it easier for faculty to communicate with their students. Since they were meeting virtually anyway, the fact that they’re now scattered hasn’t hindered their ability to stay in touch. They’ve had lots of practice communicating remotely as is.
“That is the one upside of (COVID-19). We knew where everybody was. We knew what their situation was,” Oxford said. “That helped a lot.”
Berry Creek School is a kindergarten through eighth-grade school. About 95% of the student body has free or reduced lunches.
“We’re a socioeconomically disadvantaged district to beginwith,” Oxford said.
That, however, is why Tom Peet has been teaching there so long.
“I thought it would be a transition school that I would stay at for a few years, but then it grew on me. I love the kids because they’re not spoiled. They have very little,” Peet said.
He lives in Chico, but has been teaching at Berry Creek School for 25 years. He doesn’t mind the commute to see his sixth, seventh and eighth-graders.
“Many of them are just the most awesome kids you’d want to teach. They don’t whine about stuff. They’re tough. A lot of
them are in hard situations, but they have this knack for finding the good in the bad. It’s kept me there,” he said.
Most of the students are now in Oroville. Families will be able to choose be
tween doing online schooling, in-person schooling or a hybrid option. Almost everyonehas said theywill rebuild.
“Our parents are very resilient,” Oxford said. “They roll with the punches.”