More Normalcy

Today, students returned to school in two cities, Ocean Springs and Biloxi. The rest of the schools in coastal Mississippi hope to open between October 3 and October 15.

School's in: Biloxi, Ocean Springs restart classes

By MELISSA M. SCALLAN
SUN HERALD

BILOXI - Students in Biloxi and Ocean Springs returned to a semi-normal routine when classes started again Monday, just four weeks after Hurricane Katrina hit South Mississippi.

Students at Beauvoir Elementary in Biloxi shared their classrooms with Gorenflo Elementary, a school that got six feet of water during Katrina.

Teachers hugged students as they arrived at school, and most were glad to be among friends and share their hurricane stories.

"I think it's good for the general public too," said Susan Brand, principal at Beauvoir. "It provides a sense of stability to everyone."

Gulfport High School also began classes Monday; most other districts in South Mississippi will open next week.

A lot of schools will have to double up. Especially in Hancock County where many schools are either gone or heavily damaged. But it's good for the kids to be able to return to school. It gives them and their parents that feeling of things getting back to normal. Slowly, but surely and one day at a time, things are improving.