Tornado May Hasten Schools' Closure

The storm has obviously taken its toll in Picher, but the town's school may be lost for good.  The ironic part, the tornado didn't touch it.  News On 6 anchor Jennifer Loren reports classes have been canceled for the remainder of the school year.

In a town that's become a sea of broken homes and broken dreams; the Picher-Cardin School stands untouched by Saturday's tornado.  But, still the school's superintendent Don Barr has just closed the school's doors for the rest of this school year.

"Well our major concern is to let those families and our staff members to deal with any situations related to their families and their homes at this time," said Superintendent Don Barr.

The school may not have been damaged, but the lives of all the teachers and students who went there have been damaged in one way or another.  For example, Sue Sigle's house was reduced to rubble.  She teaches second and third grade.

"This, somehow, my brother found under a pile of stuff today. I could not believe it," said Sue Sigle.

As she discovers hidden treasures among the rubble of her home, Mrs. Sigle is piecing together a literal lifetime of memories from right here in Picher.

"I never thought we'd find some of this stuff. But I'm very happy with what we've found," said Sue Sigle.

Sigle's insurance company will reimburse her for what used to be her two story home and that's easing some of her worries.  But, nothing will stop her from worrying about her students and their future if they have to move.

"We've got a lot of special kids here that I would just rather them be here with us, you know," said Sue Sigle.

She also worries about her own future as a teacher and if there will be a future at all for Picher-Cardin Schools.

They already knew they were going to have to close for good one day, but Mrs. Sigle wasn't quite ready for that.

"We really felt like we'd have at least another year and maybe two years. But, with this happening we don't really know what's going to happen now. We'll just have to take a day at a time and see from there," said Sue Sigle.