She smiles and describes what happened the morning after the disastrous fire as: “Salon Gano.”
Teacher Michelle Gano welcomed her classroom of third graders with a very special Monday morning of fun and encouragement.
That’s because many of the children were still stunned and sleep-deprived from what had just happened overnight. A raging inferno struck Bound Brook, New Jersey, in January. The night sky had been filled with high flames and thick smoke. Flashing lights and sirens from 36 fire departments filled the streets.
There were many evacuations, including some of Michelle’s students. The final damage estimate was north of $50-million. Amazingly no lives were lost. Sadly, the fire was arson.
“I didn’t see it, but I can only imagine the site that these kids saw… right out their windows!” Michelle knows it was a “terrifying image.” After learning the full extent of the fire situation, Michelle says “all I wanted to do was be with my kids in my classroom and just know that everyone was safe.”
“the root of who I am is my faith.”
(Our complete interview podcast is below)
As she considered what to do as a teacher, she realized “academics were out the window” that day, so she gathered supplies in case any of her students needed to get cleaned-up, wash their hair, or brush their teeth. That was what became known as “Salon Gano” – complete with a shampoo station, a hair-drying station, and then some “fancy hairdos.” The result? “It really was a special way of being together and taking care of really their physical needs, but also their emotional needs, they were so shaken by the night before.”
Kids being kids, they even asked if they could do Salon Gano every day.
Michelle is realistic, wanting her students to know that bad things do happen, but “even in those bad scary times, you can find something to be grateful for.” Gratitude. As part of this very real life lesson, her students wrote thank you letters to firefighters and police officers who put their lives on the line during the fire battle. Writing the letters also helped the youngsters process some of their own emotions. Keep in mind, these children are only 8 or 9 years old.
What makes Michelle so caring? She shares with us that “the root of who I am is my faith.” Michelle firmly believes that God has put her with these students for a reason. And she plans to continue efforting a positive impact on the children’s lives.
It’s not hard to imagine that the indelible loving impact Michelle had that ‘morning after’ will stick with the students as they grow into their adult lives. Well done.