Flood damage ruins books at Indiana Academy

MUNCIE – Costly flood damage and mold caused problems for the first week of school at the Indiana Academy for Science, Mathematics and Humanities.

As maintenance crews began cleaning up the basement of Elliott Hall on Ball State University’s campus, they pulled back carpeting and wall paper and found mold.

The building has water drainage pipes for the roof running inside. When a pump broke on campus in July, the rusted pipes ended up causing a leak through the walls in the basement, said Jeffrey Smith, director of academic affairs at Indiana Academy.

“At one point we didn’t know if we were going to be able to start on time,” Smith said.

The basement housed all of the Academy’s books. Earlier in the summer flood water had wet the floor of the book room and school officials moved the books to the next room during clean up.

Books were stacked on the floor when the pump broke. Smith estimates they lost about $37,000 worth of books, and they are still counting.

Ball State is picking up the tab for the books and the maintenance because the Academy is part of the Teachers College. Insurance will not cover the book damage because it is less than the university’s deductible.

University spokesman Marc Ransford said the mold removal should be complete in 14-21 days. He said the cost will not be known until the repairs are complete.

The basement also housed 19 of the two-year public high school’s 32 faculty members. Just three days before the school’s 330 students were set to arrive, the faculty was told they had to move.

They ended up finding space in the small CAST (College of Applied Sciences and Technology) house located behind Pittenger Student Center.

Luckily, Academy classrooms are in the same building as Burris Laboratory School and were ready for the first day last week.

Students just began getting their textbooks on Thursday. Some were told to come back later when their books couldn’t be located.

Each student needs 10-14 books for one semester, Smith said. Academy juniors and seniors usually take a suitcase with wheels to the book room.

The Academy selects high-performing students from across Indiana using an application process. Most of the students live in Wagoner Complex, which also houses a few administrative offices. That building saw little water damage from summer flooding and was ready when students began arriving.

Contact families and education reporter Emma Kate Fittes at 765-213-5845 and follow @EmmaKate_TSP