MEDFORD, Ore. – Phoenix-Talent students are headed back to school starting this week, but only if they’re able to connect digitally and emotionally.
After the Almeda fire burned through Talent and Phoenix, many families are displaced. The Phoenix-Talent school district wants students to have a sense of normalcy.
“All of us have gone through something pretty traumatic the last couple weeks,” said Heather Lowe Rogers, principal at Talent Elementary.
Education centers have been set up at the EXPO and in White City for displaced students. Chromebooks and other learning materials will be handed out on Tuesday and Wednesday.
“We know they need the most comfort right now so just trying to make everything gentle and kind and supportive for our kiddos,” said Rogers.
A special guest even showed up to help out. Brady Breeze, a safety at the University of Oregon said, “I kind of told my coaches, I mean they’re not very happy with me right now, but I told them but I’m going to come down and do this for my community. I said I know you guys are going to be mad that I’m missing out on practice and stuff but I want to do this and help out.”
Breeze said he grew up in southern Oregon, and wants to do what he can to support his community.
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