By Susan Motander
It was just over two months ago that an arson fire destroyed the counseling and attendance offices along with several classrooms at Monrovia High School. In addition, there was smoke damage to most of the main building and the Taylor Performing Arts Center (an auditorium facility in the main building). The cafeteria which is located on the lower floor of that building, also received smoke and water damage.
The offices that received the most damage and the classrooms above them were gutted with all the damaged wood removed and the building stabilized. All the surfaces in these areas were treated with a “shellac encapsulating” compound to capture the smoke and soot and to prevent it from leaching out in the future.
Every surface throughout the main building was wiped down to ensure its cleanliness. In addition, every seat in the auditorium had to be wiped down by hand before being steam cleaned and all the curtains had to be steam cleaned as well. The entire auditorium literally sparkles at this time.
School Superintendent Kathy Thorosian called this the result of “a Herculean group effort.” She singled out Connie Wu, the district’s Chief Business Officer (whom she called “My general on this”), Vincent Marchetti, who heads Maintenance, Operations and Transportation and Nelson Santos who is in charge of purchasing, for their extraordinary work. In addition, Thorosian notes that the cooperation of all students and administrators and especially the staff and teachers at Monrovia High School, made the swift work possible.
If all goes well, the work will be completed by the beginning of the next school year. In the interim, six portable classrooms have been set up on some of the school’s tennis courts and should be completely functional shortly according to Marchetti.
On a different note, Lt. Nick Manfredi, head of the detective bureau of the Monrovia Police Department, said that the case against the juvenile accused of setting the fire which caused all the damage at the high school has not yet gone to trial. The case is currently set for the preliminary hearing soon. The matter is being heard in juvenile court.
