Dunwoody Helps After Fairington Elementary Arson

Dunwoody PTO members have joined with other groups to help students and staff of Fairington Elementary School in DeKalb County after a fire in the school on Saturday.

The Parent Teacher Organization of Dunwoody Elementary School, faculty from the Centennial Arts Academy in Gainesville, GA and the DeKalb County Office of the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice have offered to collect new school supplies and replace those lost in the fire, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

The fire at the school in Lithonia was contained to one classroom, but the main building experienced extensive water, smoke and soot damage, Patch previously reported. Desks, chairs and books were damaged during the incident.

“Our hearts go out to our DeKalb friends at Fairington Elementary,” Dunwoody principal Jennifer Sanders told the AJC. “The DeKalb school district may be large, but we are still family. We take care of each other.”

Dallas Thompson, a fifth grade teacher at Centennial Arts Academy told the AJC, “It is not often that children get to do something for other children. We hope that this will make a powerful impact not only on the children at Fairington, but also on the children at Centennial.”

The students of Fairington Elementary have been attending classes in makeshift quarters at Miller Grove High School since Tuesday, Patch reported. A team of nearly 150 workers are working around the clock to clean up the mess from the fire.

Authorities believe the cause of the fire was arson. They are still working to find the arson suspect.

Students are expected to return to Fairington Elementary on Jan. 26.

-- Photo screenshot from WSB.