At Our Lady of Grace R.C. Church in West Babylon, there is room at the inn. The church has opened its doors to house the 300 students and staff of South Bay Elementary School following the firethat destroyed the school last week. Our Lady of Grace campus, originally designed to house a Catholic school that never opened, has 24 classrooms, 20 of which the West Babylon School District will be using a lease agreement that is to run at least through June, said school officials. Thefocus of the district’s plans was to keep students and teachers together during the process. Long-range plans for rebuilding the school have to be put on hold until the Babylon Chief Fire Marshall Gil Hanse completes his investigation. Then the building will be put into the hands of the insurance company, said a school official. Following that investigation, a determination as to how the district will proceed can begin. Students needed to bring only a pencil, hand sanitizer, tissues, water and baby wipes on Tuesday; the district promises to provide the other needed materials. On Monday, as teachers and staff were moving in, Father Vincent Rush, pastor of Our Lady of Grace and Superintendent of Schools Anthony Cacciola were there to lend a hand. “It’s going great,” said Father Rush in talking about the hustle and bustle going on all around him. “As best as can be expected,” said the Superintendent who was there ready to work, dressed in sneakers, jeans and a sweat shirt for the event. After the fire, “I was hoping the parish would open the church up to the students,” said James Crafa, who is an usher and religious education teacher at OLOG. “I was so happy when I found out. Thisgoes along with everything we believe in.” Already donations have poured into from the community as well, filling a space in the high school. At this time, the District is asking for American Express or Visa gift cards to purchase needed items – such as computers or supplies for the nurses office. Items can be dropped off at the business office,10 Farmingdale Rd., (at Rte. 109), West Babylon. Thedistrict is also accepting musical instruments.

Readers can go to www.babylonbeacon.com to see some video of staff moving into Our Lady of Grace school on Monday. One day after the catastrophe, families meandered down to South Bay Elementary School to pay their respects to the school they loved.

Michele Encarnacion processed slowly toward the school, holding hands with her nephew Mark, 10, and Jordan, 10, joining other pockets of mourners. “We just had to see what happened,” said Encarnacion. “We heard all these stories; we just had to see for ourselves.” When the children saw the school, they let out a gasp. It was just a charred shell of its former self.