TAMPA, Fla. — This Wednesday will mark a year since the fire that gutted Lee Elementary Magnet school in Tampa.
- Damage from Hurricane Irma caused electrical fire
- Ceremony to commemorate anniversary of fire Wednesday a.m.
- Future of Lee Elementary still unsettled
"I miss almost everything, because it's like, memories and other stuff," said 4th grader Gabrielle Williams.
Investigators said the school, located on the 300 block of Columbus Dr., caught fire due to electrical problems caused by damage from Hurricane Irma.
A special ceremony will be held Wednesday morning at 9 a.m. to commemorate the anniversary of the fire. The public is invited.
The event will be held at Lee Elementary's temporary campus, located behind Lockhart Elementary.
“I've always felt over this whole year people expected us to be strong and carry on, but there's a hole," said principal Beverly Smith. "There's mourning that comes with that, and you need to be able to give a voice to those emotions."
Since the fire, Lee students have been sharing space at Lockhart Elementary. This year, a new layout allows Lee students and staff to have their own space, meeting in 23 portables in the back of Lockhart.
"I feel so much better that we're all here together," said teacher Kelli Lofton. "The kids feel the love of the 'fam-i-Lee.'"
Meanwhile, the future of Lee Elementary is still up in the air.
Architects are producing renderings of what a new Lee Elementary would look like. This renderings will go to the insurance company, which will then decide how much to pay out.
The board could make a decision on whether to rebuild the school by the end of the year.