School Reopens After Crash | Video

Evan Kruegel | 9/26/2012

After a semi crashed into the Johnson Corners Christian Academy near Watford City last week, administrators weren`t so sure the building could be saved. They were worried the school would have to be demolished, but they`ve now been given the go-ahead to rebuild.

Class is back in session at Johnson Corners Christian Academy, and school officials couldn`t be more relieved.

"We`re having school instead instead of having funerals," said Principal Adrian Timmons.

A semi truck crashed through the school last Tuesday, killing the driver of another vehicle and injuring three. Students were given a week off, while the school waited to hear the fate of their building. After anxiously waiting, they received some good news this week: The building can be rebuilt, and does not need to be demolished.

"We are going to be rebuilding, we already got the old part partitioned off and they`re in classes today," Timmons said.

Timmons estimates that 40 percent of the school was destroyed in the crash, so they`ve juggled around classrooms to make things work. The sanctuary is now the cafeteria, and even though it`s a little cramped, the students appear to be doing quite well with the situation.

"There`s still some trauma and emotional distress, some of them still react to loud noises and some of them are having a hard time sleeping, but they were all here Friday for a counseling session and that went very well and the students really got to verbalize what they`ve been through, and I see them really responding and doing very well on this first day of school," Timmons said.

Students and teachers will never forget what happened to their school last Tuesday, but with school back in session, some normalcy can now return.

The week off from school will have to be made up at the end of the school year.

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