SANTA ROSA — It has been seven years since the deadly Tubbs Fire consumed large portions of the city of Santa Rosa. That included a special school that is just now completing reconstruction. As the school owners race the clock to reopen by the end of the year, they say they’re being held up by delays from PG&E, a company which many in the North Bay blame for the megafires in the region.
Anova is a privately owned and operated school for high-functioning autistic youngsters who have difficulty coping in a traditional school environment. It was a huge blow when the school building was destroyed in the 2017 Tubbs Fire.
“The problem with kids with autism is they don’t do well with change and transition and things they don’t expect,” said Anova founder and CEO, Andrew Bailey. “So, the night of the Tubbs Fire, nine of our students also lost their homes.”
The rest lost their school and, ever since, they have been working out of portable classrooms at the old site while a new school was being built. Now it’s almost finished.