AURORA, Colo. — Two Aurora schools missed the first day of the Cherry Creek School District's new school year after weekend storms caused flooding and damage on campus.
Highline Community Elementary School and Overland High School were the only schools in the district that did not open Monday. Both schools are expected to welcome students back Tuesday, according to district officials.
Cam Price, who lives across from Overland High School, showed Denver7 how severe Saturday's storm was — including a driver who was stranded in Utah Park’s parking lot.
"There was literally a river running down the street," Price said. "It looked like everything was blowing almost straight sideways.”
The Cherry Creek School District told Denver7 flood waters caused damage inside Overland High School’s performing arts wing and auxiliary gym.
► Watch Adria Iraheta's report in the video below:
"It has gotten pretty high before, but never like this. Not since I've been here," Price said.
District crews were seen sweeping away debris at the school Monday afternoon, with sticks, rocks, and dirt still covering much of the ground outside. A district spokesperson said crews replaced the carpet in the performing arts wing.
Cleanup efforts were also underway at Highline Community Elementary, where crews spent the day replacing ceiling tiles in the school hallways as the school continued to dry out.
Incoming fifth grader Allison Perez got an extra day of summer vacation because of the flooding — but said she had mixed feelings about the delay.
"I was like surprised and like I don't know, kind of sad because I did want to go see my friends," Allison said.
She described watching the storm from inside their home on Saturday afternoon.
"It was like windy, windy, like very windy,” Allison said. “My mom's car was like almost flooding.”
Allison said she is ready to head back Tuesday, already planning her outfit and looking forward to what matters most – playing with her friends.
"I'm wearing, like, a red shirt and some baggy pants and some sneakers," Allison said.
Both schools are scheduled to open Tuesday.
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