Phoenix-Talent schools lend hand in Weed

Sep. 7—With the deadly Mill Fire still smoldering in Weed, California — 75 miles south of Phoenix — representatives with the Phoenix-Talent School District plan to spend Wednesday — and possibly longer — providing support to Weed Elementary School.

Phoenix-Talent School District Superintendent Brent Barry and four other district officials will head south to help school officials deal with the tragedy.

The Mill Fire — which broke out the Friday before Labor Day — has burned over 4,000 acres, destroyed at least 91 homes and killed two people.

The idea for the Phoenix-Talent delegation's visit came after a weekend phone call between Barry and Jon Ray, principal of Weed Elementary School and superintendent of the Weed Union Elementary School District.

"He started to talk about some of the concerns he had," said Barry, who was named Oregon Superintendent of the Year for the way he handled his district's response to the Almeda Fire in 2020. "I'll tell you what, that is exactly how it happened for us — we just started talking about unmet needs, and all of a sudden people were there to step up to help fill those."

Phoenix-Talent employees headed to Weed will include Tiffanie Lambert, assistant superintendent of teaching and learning; Maria Lee, Title III and migrant education coordinator; school psychologists Derek Rodman and Rene Cabrera; and Joe Zavala, communications specialist.

"Sometimes it's just enough for another community to just show that they care," Barry said, when asked about the delegation's duties. "We definitely do not want to get in the way, but we want to just be a resource if something comes up — knowing that this may not be the only day."

Ray was not available for comment Tuesday. But in a message posted online to his district's families, he outlined plans for the elementary school to open Wednesday morning, adding "the next few days will not be typical school days."

"These past few years have been ridiculously hard for all of us, and yet we must deal with another devastating tragedy. But as the history of our community has taught us, we shall overcome, and we shall come back. Our kids need us and their friends."

Phoenix has been affected by three major fires in the past decade, starting with the Boles Fire in 2014, which destroyed more than 150 buildings and left one injured.

The Boles Fire is still a fresh memory for Allison Blankenship, assistant principal of the Weed Elementary Union School District, who has worked there since 2008.

"How are we doing? It's overwhelming, but we are making progress on trying to find the best way to support our families," Blankenship said Tuesday.

Some ways her district plans to do that through the rest of the week is to let students "process through play" with the help of Project:Camp, which offers "pop-up camps for children impacted by wildfires and natural disasters," according to the organization's Facebook page.

The slimmed down school day will also give families a space to access resources or leave their children in a safe place while they tend to home matters caused by the Mill Fire.

Blankenship noted a lot of parents have called the school about its plans. While she believes students are "anxious" to get back to school, Blankenship estimates at least 200 out of the 330 students will show up.

School officials hope to resume a normal school schedule next week.

"We just got power back. As long as we have power back and we don't have any other fires break out, our plan is to move forward," Blankenship said.

For the time being, it will be helpful for Phoenix-Talent officials to come down to Weed and help, she said.

"I think it's extremely thoughtful and meaningful just for them to reach out after going through a major experience," Blankenship said, referring to the Almeda Fire. "To deal with such a tragic event on that scale and then want to give back ... is wonderful."

Asked what he would tell the Weed Elementary Union School District about how to respond to a fire, Barry said his answer to that question is different now even than it was a year ago.

"An overall message about how you deal with this is: Know that there is hope on the horizon," the superintendent said. "Know that there is recovery, rebuilding and support for communities that go through this devastation."

Reach reporter Kevin Opsahl at 541-776-4476 or kopsahl@rosebudmedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @KevJourno.