Monroe school ready soon for Newtown students

MONROE, Conn. (WHDH) -- A former school in Monroe is being prepped for the students from Sandy Hook Elementary School in nearby Newtown, the site of Friday's deadly shootings.

Crews were in the process of making necessary repairs to the former Chalk Hill School on Monday so the facility would be ready for students this week. Chalk Hill has not been used as a school since June 2011.

“I don’t think I’ve cried so much in my life,” said Steve Vavrek, Monroe, Conn. first selectman. “When you see the kids, it’s amazing.”

Vavrek has shed plenty of tears, but his attention turns to readying the two-story building for the students, teachers and administrators.

“They’re going to have their exact desks. You have to understand, obviously when this happened people just left the building, or hid and left the building, they didn’t have time to pick up any of their belongings, their coats, their backpacks, nothing,” said Vavrek.

The town is trying to bring a sense of normalcy to the students, teachers and administrators from Sandy Hook.

“We had an open building, they have a need. They can stay there as long as they want, once they are in that building they can stay as long as they want. That is Sandy Hook Elementary School,” said Vavrek.

Public schools are expected to re-open on Tuesday morning. Students from Sandy Hook will go to Monroe on Wednesday.

There will be a police presence when students arrive.