Beach parents got what they wanted: Their school back after Hurricane Ian washed it away

In what's turning into a historic week for Fort Myers Beach, its elementary school reopened on a crisp sunny Southwest Florida Tuesday morning, 433 days after Hurricane Ian's demoralizing devastation.

"Now I'm a parent of a child who is fortunate enough to return today," said Beach native and former student Jenny-Tardiff-Paradiso, echoing others who expressed the similar as children walked through the front door adorned with white and light blue balloons, 62 weeks after many lost their homes. "The commitment to this school comes in all forms. (Because) of the isolation, which is natural when you are raised on an island, we learn to stick together."

This, as the $200 million Margaritaville beach resort prepares to open Thursday, the first of massive projects that will transform Estero Island from its Old Florida village roots and draw more affluent travelers. At the same time, like with other businesses, the offspring of the compound's commuting service industry workers, even if they aren't town residents, are eligible to attend classes.

Here are five things and more to know.

1. What took place Tuesday as classes returned to FM Beach?

The Lee County School District hosted an emotional ceremony, highlighted by the raising of an American flag that flew at at the U.S. Capitol on the one-year anniversary of the treacherous storm. Honchos had hoped for a mid-November comeback, but shutdowns in days prior, during and after Hurricane Idalia's less damaging August pass by Southwest Florida contributed to a delay.

"Gulfpoint Construction built something special, and today our return to Fort Myers Beach Elementary is a positive reminder that Fort Myers Beach overall has a flourishing future ahead," said Principal Traci Kohler, who teared up and paused as she talked. "I am so incredibly proud."

2. When rebuilding of Fort Myers Beach Elementary began

Known as Beach School and the home of the Dolphins, the $6 million redo by Gulfpoint began in the summer at 2751 Oak St. that included restoration of the original building and replacement of plumbing and electrical systems wiped out by Ian's catastrophic storm surge. Water had gone up to and over the other roofs, district leaders said: What wreckage remained of those "beyond repair" structures that included nearly all the grades, the cafeteria, administration and other services was demolished.

"We had a lot to figure out," Superintendent Christopher Bernier said. "Officials, residents, parents, teachers, all combined with district staff to develop a plan to get us where we're at today. What we have created through this partnership is a brand new educational environment in a historic building. It's ready to meet the educational needs of the island's children, but more importantly, it's ready again to be the center of this Beach community. (This) is a significant milestone."

3. Where did the Lee County students attend in the interim?

Pupils largely went to San Carlos Park Elementary after the powerful hurricane struck Sept. 28, 2022: "It has been 14 months of perseverance and resilience," Kohler said. "Our students continued to grow academically in spite of the challenges we faced. More importantly, they moved from surviving to thriving."

School board members had considered various options after the disaster including selling the land and potentially not having education on the island anymore. But parents lobbied for a presence, leading to Tuesday's return and room for close to 50 learners and about a dozen educators in the enduring building. "It has classroom space for the kids, offices for the staff and a media center," district spokesperson Rob Spicker said.

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4. What's history of what is known as SWFL's Beach School?

The smallest school in the district, the structure built in 1947 was placed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1999. As the Beach has become more expensive, fewer families are moving there, where its U.S. Census median of 66 years old ranks among America's 150 oldest age communities. Since 2004, the school's enrollment has dropped from more than 200 to 52 as of February. The school's operation costs taxpayers nearly triple the district's average of $8,868 per student.

A total of 48 returned Tuesday, Spicker said: "We are obligated through the interlocal agreement with the town of Fort Myers Beach to add space next year to accommodate up to 80 students and to provide facilities for up to 150 students by the 2026-27 school year if enrollment reaches that level."

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5, What other efforts helped in recovery of the FMB school?

"Citizens from across the country reached out with the desire to support," Kohler said, including book drives among efforts to replace what washed away. "Schools, such as Hildreth Elementary and the Hollis School from Massachusetts, Rolling Green Elementary from Iowa and Lithia Springs, Surfside, Agape and various Immokalee and Naples area schools here in Florida are just a few examples. Support came in the form of monetary donations, from penny drives and proceeds from a 5K."

Additionally, churches, foundations, parent-teacher and service organizations, like the Kiwanis, Rotary and business chamber-related groups "provided financial support, fund-raising and grant opportunities," Kohler said, noting also Los Angeles-based assistance: "The Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation bestowed a variety of musical instruments for our amazing music program."

Based at the Naples Daily News, Columnist Phil Fernandez (pfernandez@gannett.com) grew up in Southwest Florida. Leading Pulitzer Prize-winning efforts as an editor, he writes In the Know for the USA TODAY NETWORK. Support Democracy and subscribe to a newspaper.

This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Almost closed forever by Hurricane Ian, Beach Elementary reopens Tues.