St. Kevin School doesn’t look all that different from the days before the flood. It’s clean, the floors are shiny and it even has that “new smell” of fresh paint and new carpeting.

“A lot of it is stuff you’re not going to see,” said Principal David Irving, between moving boxes and carrying chairs with the help of firefighters, Hendricken students and a crew from Astro Moving. Faculty settled into classrooms Friday in preparation for the return of students Monday.

Reopening the school that was forced to close when a hot water pipe burst during the Thanksgiving Day weekend was longer than imagined. St. Kevin Church Pastor Father Robert Marciano discovered the leak after investigating why the school windows were fogged over. The break occurred in a second story restroom, sending water through the flooring into the library and then throughout the first floor.

At first it appeared to be a matter of mopping things up and airing the building out. Fr. Marciano hoped to have the school reopen within a week. When that projection turned into a month and possibly longer, Fr. Marciano and Irving looked for temporary housing. The Warwick School Department and Mayor Joseph Solomon offered Randall Holden School, which closed in June as part of the consolidation of elementary schools. It turned out to be a good fit and the push was made to move St. Kevin School as quickly as possible.

It was the “stuff you don’t see” that delayed the reopening of the school.

The moisture damaged more than ceiling tiles, wallboards and rugs. It compromised the school intercom, fire alarm system and other wiring. In addition, to meet fire codes, the building required fire breaks with the blocking of ceiling space between certain classrooms.

“Randall Holden was great,” said Irving. “It gave us a building where we could fit everyone.” Irving was grateful for the welcome St. Kevin received by the city and how “everyone came together” to ensure the continuation of school operations.

The same sort of community effort was mounted to bring the school back. Boxes marked with blue went to the first floor while those with pink went to the second. Former Principal Roger Parent was among those assisting.

“It’s like moving back home…it’s nice to be back,” he said.

Also pleased to be back was Priscilla Lemire, RJM. A member of the Foster Grandparent Program, Lemire is an aide in the kindergarten class of Heather DeCicco. She said she is very grateful that the city made Randall Holden available, although she expects she won’t miss it.

Librarian Jeanine Woodmansee was thankful that her set of clocks with times from across the world were spared from the flood, as were books. She was busy Friday restoring order to the room.

Just outside the door, a saw cut into the parking lot that also serves as a play area during the school day.

Not only did a broken pipe cause flooding but also soon afterward a sinkhole developed in the churchyard when the school septic system collapsed. Fr. Marciano believes the system was flooded when cleanup crews emptied buckets into sinks and toilets. The school system is now being tied into Warwick sewers.

“That’s on us,” Fr. Marciano said of the $35,000 it will take to connect to sewers.

The school was far more fortunate when it comes to repairs caused by the broken pipe. Fr. Marciano said cleanup costs totaled $100,000 and another $600,000 was spent on restorations. That was all covered by insurance, with the exception of a $500 deductible.

“I’ll never complain about insurance,” Fr. Marciano said.

GRANDMA KNOWS BEST: Priscilla Lemire, RJM, who volunteers as a foster grandparent, cleans off desks in the kindergarten classroom of Heather DeCicco.

STILL KEEPING TIME: Water dripped down from the second floor in one corner of the library, thankfully sparing books and clocks, to librarian Jeanine Woodmansee’s relief.

BACK IN PLACE: Dennis Skidds and Cody DiLibero return a cross and plaque to their rightful places in the school.

HOME AGAIN: Pre-school teacher Nicole Fontenault prepares to hang a greeting outside her classroom.

THE FARM RETURNS: First grade aide Lisa Wasilewski carries the farm as it makes its return trip to St. Kevin School.