Meadowbrook Waldorf finds temporary home at South Road School after fire

By: Amanda Pitts

alpitts@abc6.com

@AmandaPittsTV

SOUTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. — The Richmond school struck by lightning last month now has a new, temporary home.

The Meadowbrook Waldorf School signed a one-year lease to use the South Road School in South Kingstown while their school is being rebuilt. The lease has the option to renegotiate if the school needs to stay longer than a year.

Nearly 150 students ages three to fourteen attend Meadowbrook Waldorf School. The fire on July 29th destroyed the building, causing it to be torn down. Teachers and staff lost all of their belongings, and the school had to start from scratch.

Upon hearing the news, the school has received an outpouring of donations from the community.

“School districts have reached out and offered desk and chairs and furniture, anything they can to help us get back on our feet.”

Meadowbrook Development Coordinator, Beth Riungu, said local businesses are offering to help as well, with Staples donating school supplies. Parents have donated books, and some were even helping them move in on Wednesday.

South Road School was an elementary school up until 2006 when it shut its doors. Since then it’s been home to a Montessori school and a preschool, but a large portion of it has been vacant since last year. One wing is occupied by the Village Co-Op Preschool.

The new space is much larger than Meadowbrook Waldorf’s original location, and the school is grateful to the town for giving them the opportunity to stay local. South Road School is 8 miles away from the Richmond school, allowing them to stay within their bussing limits.

"It’s not that common in public service that you get to do this kind of good, and really have a benefit for both the community and a group that really was in need." – Robert Zarnetske, South Kingstown Town Manager 

The school’s GoFundMe page has left reached over $160,000, with nearly 800 donors.

“Gifts have come from Hawaii, San Diego, New York, all over the country and some from overseas also. The local Montessori schools, The Prout School are giving, it’s really touching. To have that money to keep us going during this interim phase and towards rebuilding the properties is wonderful.”

Meadowbrook says the fire was a blessing in disguise, as now they can rebuild a bigger and better school.

“We wanted to invite our friends and neighbors in more often, and we decided we would build a community center. So now we have the seed money for a new school that will help us launch this capital campaign to not just rebuild what we had before, but to build something bigger.”

School starts for students on September 4th. 

(c) WLNE-TV ABC6