INDIAN LAKE, Ohio — For almost a week following the devastating tornadoes across Ohio, Indian Lake High School has been a place of outreach, community support and a major spot for donations.

But Wednesday, the doors will open for a different reason as schools go back in session.

What You Need To Know

  • Indian Lake Schools prepare to open Wednesday morning

  • Donations have been boxed up and will continue to be sent to other drop-off locations

  • Teachers and parents say students are looking forward to going back to class

  • School district will run on a two-hour delay on Wednesday

“I’m proud. I’m proud of our community, I’m proud of our students,” said parent and Indian Lake High School principal Kyle Wagner.

Wagner said he’s ready to get the ball rolling.

“I’m excited yet nervous and I just want to see kids’ faces, get those that we can in the school, get them back to a structure and a schedule and just back to a little bit of normalcy,” he said.

School officials and volunteers have been working to not only get donations to where they need to be, but making sure students feel supported.

“We’ve been working the last couple of days calling all of our students, just to check in and really doing a focus on our students who may have been displaced, finding out where they might be tomorrow, where they are,” Wagner said.

Outside the back of the school, hundreds of water bottles wait on pallets and a barn filled with essentials like batteries and cleaning supplies are ready to be shipped to donation centers.

“As an educator, I definitely am excited to get them back into the flow. I think they all want to come together and see each other. I know a lot of kids have been here this morning working out. They’ve been here this weekend helping. It’s been nice to see everyone and I think we’re ready,” said teacher Tracey Notestine.

The high school has been a place of refuge for the community.

Come Wednesday, its doors are open for young minds and hearts to get back to learning.

“It’s kind of a place of hope for them, for those students coming in to be able to see a familiar face, get a hug from their teachers, see their friends, and get back to some normalcy,” said parent and substitute teacher Alicia Cummins.

The school district will run on a two-hour delay on Wednesday.

This will help bus drivers identify students who might not be at their normal location and to make sure they’re able to get everyone to school.

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