New Teacher Interviews On Day Of Tornado At Plaza Towers

The school year begins under some very strange circumstances for two Moore public schools. They were flattened by the May 20 tornado, but through it all are not only keeping their teachers, but also attracting new ones.

You can't blame teachers and students for wanting to go to another school after what happened, but News 9 spoke to one teacher who said May20 was her calling; it was also the day she was interviewing at Plaza Towers.

Pre-K teacher Ericka Rowell prepares for a new school she never could have imagined when she was interviewing for the job at Plaza Towers Elementary on May 20.

"I had no idea what was going on. I was in an interview, my cell phone was off," Rowell said.

Rumblings of rough weather had just started to spread throughout the school halls, but for Rowell a job was on the line. Rowell was offered the position, but wanted to see the classroom.

Excited about the future, a giddy Rowell left Plaza Towers. Less than an hour later her would-be class, most of the school and 7 students would be lost. Rowell's home was also destroyed.

Rowell felt her life was in limbo because it wasn't until just recently that Rowell learned Plaza Towers would be able to honor the original job offer.

The only thing she was certain of was that the tornado would not scare her off to another district.

"That day when I left that interview, I felt there was something pushing me to teach in Moore. I feel it's God's plan and I'm just here to follow through with it," Rowell said.