NEWS
September 7, 2005
A Happy Homecoming at Archway
It was a happy homecoming as the 50-plus students at the Archway school here were greeted on their first day back with two Hummers, trays of frosted donuts, pretzels, juiceboxes and a line of beaming teachers and administrators on Tuesday morning.
"I've never had a first day like this," said Scott Gross, 13, of Franklin Township. "It's a pretty big surprise. It's pretty cool."
The occasion for the fanfare was the school's newly renovated and rebuilt building, which was all but destroyed by a small fire in February which is still under investigation by the Gloucester County Prosecutor's Office. After the fire, the students attended all their classes in the only other building on campus, the Annex Building.
The school contracted with All Risk, a property restoration company based out of Somerdale, to deal with the fire damage and reconstruct the building. According to Sherry Mayland, production manager for All Risk, the certificate of occupancy for the building was issued on Friday.
Dan Martin, CEO of Archway Programs, Inc., said the restoration cost $850,000.
"We put in all new sheet rock, we rewired, we put in a new HVAC system, new walls, insulation -- it was pretty much a complete loss," said Mayland. "This building pretty much had to be gutted."
The Hummers and the goodies -- all bearing All Risk's signature yellow and black -- for the first day celebration were donated by the company.
"The kids were traumatized by the fire," said Principal David Ballard. "And they saw for themselves what went into the cleanup afterwards. So we really wanted to make them part of this celebration."
"It was all dirty and black before," said Nick Parker, 13, of Camden. "Now it's beautiful."
Archway Programs, Inc. runs a variety of services, products and facilities meeting different types of special needs throughout the state. The Washington Township school holds some 50 students with learning, language and behavioral disabilities.
According to Bernie Weisenfeld, a spokesman for the prosecutor's office, the fire is being investigated by Detective Ron Koller.
"I don't know why, but the fire was deemed suspicious," said Weisenfeld. "Koller is following a number of
leads on it."
http://old.allriskinc.com/files/GloucCountyTimes-9.07.05.pdf