Students Back at S. Hart Elementary

By MJ Kneiser, WLHR Radio, Lavonia

South Hart Elementary School students are back in class after having most of last week off due to damage from last week’s freezing temperatures.

When the sub-zero cold hit last Tuesday, pipes burst at South Hart Elementary, affecting seven classrooms, five hallways and the main atrium.

Hart County School Superintendent Jerry Bell said most of the damage at the school was due to flooding.

Classes were cancelled all of the rest of last week as maintenance crews worked to fix the broken sprinkler pipe and clean up the damage at South Hart.

Bell said crews are continuing the work this week, taking up the soggy carpeting in the classrooms and the vinyl tile flooring that also buckled from the flood.

He added that he is not sure yet how long it will be before the repair work is completed.

Bell said South Hart students that returned to class Monday morning did not seem to notice the damage.

So far, Bell said he does not have an estimate of the cost of the damage to the school system.

Meanwhile, Georgia Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner Ralph Hudgens said arctic weather that struck Georgia last week caused an estimated $75 million in insured losses across the state.

Hudgens did caution that the figure may rise as new claims are reported due to quite extensive damage in some counties in north Georgia.

Commissioner Hudgens also reminded Georgians that they can call his office’s Consumer Services Division at 404-656-2070 or, outside the Metro area, 1-800-656-2298, if they have questions about a claim, or if they are experiencing difficulty reaching their insurance company. 

Phone lines are open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday.