It’s been more than two years since torrential rain flooded Bancroft Elementary School in Spring Valley.
Valentina Solis was in transitional kindergarten then. Despite the sunny weather this Friday, the now-second grader vividly remembers when water flooded her campus.
“I started to worry because I saw the rain going all over,” she said. “It was so rainy that I had to get picked up by my dad.”
Her mom, Isabela Solis, said that moment had a lasting impact on both of them.
“There’s never been a time where if I see rain in the forecast after that has happened, that I don’t think about that,” Isabela Solis said.
Teachers, staff and roughly 400 students evacuated after water rushed downhill onto the campus. Classes were held at nearby Spring Valley Academy.
The district cleaned and repaired Bancroft in the months that followed.
“One of the beautiful things about what happened here is our entire Bancroft community came together,” said Tina Douglas, assistant superintendent of business services. “There were so many people that jumped in to help where help was needed.”
But for Valentina Solis, memories of that day left a sense of fear.
“Any time it was raining, she would have panic attacks and she would get really scared,” Isabela Solis explained. “But we worked through that.”
Forecasters say this winter’s El Niño could be historic and bring substantial rainfall. That led Gov. Gavin Newsom to declare a state of emergency this month to boost statewide preparedness.
Douglas said the district is taking steps to prevent flooding at schools like Bancroft and Kempton Elementary schools.
“Every time we know that there’s rain coming, we always go out to those school sites specifically, in addition to the regular maintenance that we’re doing … to make sure that things are cleaned up to prevent and mitigate any blockages,” Douglas said.
She said the district’s plan includes clearing gutters and having sandbags. Douglas added they have also identified areas that are most prone to flooding.
“We are doing everything we can to mitigate things like that from happening on a normal basis with regular rain,” Douglas said. “And (we) hope that what we are doing helps mitigate anything that might be more than the rain that we get when we have a heavier rain like El Niño.”
Valentina Solis is happy her classrooms have stayed dry the last couple of years.
“They rebuilt the school. I like this school,” she said. “I love it so much because it reminds me of friends, memories and teachers who are very nice.”
The County of San Diego has launched an information hub with guidance and resources explaining El Niño, the potential impacts and how to prepare for inclement weather.
