Missouri Elementary School Destroyed In EF2 Tornado

An elementary school is the only school in Goodman, Missouri, and students and a teacher saw what was left of their school for the very first time Wednesday.

This is what's left of the music and arts portable classroom here at Goodman Elementary. It blew over from about 100 yards away. And this is just the beginning of the devastation. 

The kindergarten classrooms no longer have a roof...It's now on the ground... along with the exterior walls.

Teachers are gathering what they can.

Hugging their students -- relieved they're safe. 

"There are a lot of memories here," said Pyper Holloway, Goodman Elementary 4th Grader. 

Class was out when the EF2 tornado tore through the town and school.

But word traveled fast - the elementary school had been destroyed. 

"It's really bad," 10-year-old Holloway said. "I'm sad."

Holloway couldn't believe her eyes.

"I seen pictures last night, but I didn't really get an image until I looked at like this and then I started crying," Holloway said. 

The tornado busted windows, uprooted trees and tossed filing cabinets and musical instruments all over town.

"I'm pretty lucky because as the school looks right now, I don't think I'd be alive," Holloway said. 

But, the school principal said there was no damage to the shelter areas where the students would have been. 

"I know in my heart they would have been safe if they were here, but thank goodness they didn't have to endure that trauma," said Samantha Hamilton;

Goodman Elementary Principal. 

There was one person inside the school during the storm, the overnight night janitor.

His truck was destroyed but he walked away without a scratch. And get this - his name is Lucky.

And lucky to be alive. 

"Yes, he's living up to that name up to that name if he ever has," Hamilton said. 

The principal said the elementary school is the heart of this small town, so they will rebuild in Goodman.    

The district is still trying to make plans, but school officials said students will most likely finish out the school year in a town a few miles away.