Artsy Learning Academy has relocated to CrossPointe Church following high winds that caused a power transformer to fall, sparking a fire that damaged the academy on March 15.
Melesa Dobbins Artsy Fire bins, owner and director of Artsy Learning Academy, said she is thankful the fire occurred during the weekend over spring break when there were no students or staff present. Dobbins added she is grateful everyone is safe.
Dobbins said Artsy Learning Academy, an accredited private elementary and middle school, started as a preschool but expanded when a group of families asked the academy to help homeschool their children during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“They did so well with us that they wanted them to stay the next year. They wanted to bring friends with them,” Dobbins said. “They were telling other people, and so we had more people the next year, and then we had more than our preschool.”
With the learning center’s growth, the academy moved into its most recent building, becoming an accredited school and adding middle school classes.
“What makes us unique is that we're a full-time, art-based, STEAM-integrated learning environment where our children are supported academically, creatively, but most of all, emotionally,” Dobbins said.
STEAM is an acronym for science, technology, engineering, arts and math, a teaching style designed to foster critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
The academy’s damage includes a melted playground, a burned fence and a collapsed ceiling, along with heavy water damage. A new fence has been installed, but the building has been deemed structurally unsound, which prohibits anyone from entering, according to Dobbins.
Dobbins said a few students were worried about their teacher’s safety, and that parents brought the students to help move items and put furniture together.
“What’s been really amazing is the amount of community that has just come out (and) the amount of support,” Dobbins said. “We’ve been so blessed by immediate support.”
While insurance will replace costly items such as smartboards and computers, Dobbins said the academy still needs some items, like a printer, canvases, brushes and paint. Though many lost items were school supplies, Dobbins said two birds, Mona Lisa and Picasso, died in the fire.
“They were part of our environment and part of what made our school feel so loved and alive, …” Dobbins said. “It was really sad. We did have a little ceremony for them.”
Dobbins also noted how the walls of the academy were covered in paintings and teacher murals, adding to personal loss.
“It is really sad, but it has never simply been a building,” Dobbins said. “It’s the relationships, creativity, the laughter in the classrooms, and the way our children feel seen and supported every day. That part is still here.”
While insurance will replace costly items such as smartboards and computers, Dobbins said the academy still needs some items, like a printer, canvases, brushes and paint.
Artsy Learning Academy has relocated to CrossPointe Church for the remainder of the academic year. Chris Todd, pastor of CrossPointe Church, said helping the academy is part of the church’s mission.
“It was never a question of ‘if,’ just how we could make it happen,” Todd said. “This is a fulfillment of our mission. This is what Christ has called us to do.”
Todd also said the church would let the academy stay during the summer if needed for the annual summer camp.
Dobbins said she hopes to have a new building by June so the academy can host summer camps there instead.
“We really just want to say thank you,” Dobbins said. “This is what rebuilding looks like right now. Teachers, families, friends and community members coming together to create something stable and beautiful for their community — for their kids. It’s really amazing to be a part of that.”
The academy has released a GoFundMe and an Amazon wishlist for donations.
This story was edited by Madisson Cameron. Andrew Paredes and Tori Pham copy edited this story.
