Van Students Return To School After Tornado
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VAN (CBSDFW.COM) - The first day of school is a special day for many families but, for one North Texas community, the day has added meaning. That is because students in Van are returning to classes on Monday for the first time since a tornado forced the last days of school to be canceled earlier this year.
It was May 10 when that tornado struck Van, about 70 miles southeast of Dallas.
The tornado leveled homes and businesses in Van, and several schools were hit very hard. Portable classrooms have replaced the elementary school for the next two years, until the campus can be rebuilt.
"The community has pulled together," said Van Independent School District superintendent Don Dunn before classes started on Monday. "This has been a tragedy for sure but, through tragedy, I think the whole community has pulled together. Our city and our schools are very important and we've come together. It's going to be good."
Dunn's outlook for the new school year could not be more positive. The district even held a back-to-school party last week and collected over 1,000 books for this school year's students.