Brookside Students Enjoy A Sweet Celebration

What's better than getting to eat doughnuts at school? At Brookside Place, the answer is simple: having doughnuts decorated in the school colors of blue and gold, in the school building that you weren't allowed to use until a week ago.

On their 10th day back at their , students at BPS enjoyed a morning treat, courtesy of the store on North Avenue. As children filed into the auditorium, they were each given a doughnut frosted in the school colors. The special event was organized by the Brookside Place School PTA, after the members were contacted by Michael Komondy, owner of the Dunkin Donuts franchise in Cranford.

On Feb. 27, the day BPS re-opened after being closed for months as a result of flood damage from Hurricane Irene, Komondy was driving through town when he heard a radio broadcast from BPS during the school's re-opening.

"Being an old PTA president and a classroom dad, I asked the principal if I could supply doughnuts for the kids to welcome them back," said Komondy, who has owned a Dunkin Donuts franchise in Cranford for 30 years.

School Principal Michael Klimko said he was happy to let the local business owner bring treats for the students to celebrate their 10th day back at BPS. Komondy and members of his staff brought approximately 600 doughnuts, frosted in gold and blue icing, to the school and helped distribute them.

The kids are extremely excited to be back," Klimko said as he watched the students happily munch on doughnuts and sip cups of juice. Several students jumped out of line to hug and thank the principal as they were ushered back to class.

Down the hall from the auditorium, Superintendent of Schools Gayle Carrick, who worked tirelessly to oversee the renovations to the school, went from classroom to classroom, welcoming the students and teachers back to BPS.

"It's nice to be back, isn't it," she asked one room filled with eager students.

The School District reopened Brookside Place School on Feb. 27, six months after floodwaters from tore through the building, causing extensive damage that led officials to for the first half of the academic year. Since September, students have been attending classes at other schools in the district, as well as Washington Elementary School in Garwood. The reconstruction was a massive undertaking that included replacing floors, walls and the electrical system, as well as other improvements.

PTA Member Kelly Falone helped plan the special event Friday along with Tara McDonald, the event chairperson. Falone said her son, Dominic, is thrilled to be back at BPS.

"He said that all he wanted for Christmas was to be back in Brookside," Falone said. "We're just so happy to be back."