Healing begins at Santa Rosa school after devastating North Bay wildfires

SANTA ROSA, Calif. (KGO) -- Parents and students from a burned down neighborhood in Santa Rosa got together Sunday night for a special dinner at Hidden Valley Elementary School. There was talk about the community spirit that seems to be rising from the ashes there.

Fire victim And school board member Evelyn Anderson said " I'm much better than a week ago and there's no question it's because of my friends and the love of this community. "

Administrators lost everything. So did teachers. So did students. They had a chance to share a meal. To share stories.

One 9 year old student said " i'm not that stressed anymore that the fire is going to get me. They took a lot of that out but it got pretty close to my house. "

10 year old Grace Nicholson agreed " it's nice to be back at school and it'll be good when school starts because you know, normalcy. "

Teachers come back to school on Wednesday to formulate a reentry plan. Students return on Friday, including welcoming more than 80 new students from the school just down the street that burned down. Hidden Valley satellite school is a total loss. The kindergartners and first and second graders got clothes and backpacks and toys.

Teacher Hanni Kohle noted " they've been pushed into an adult world for the last couple of weeks. 146 students have lost their homes between our two campuses and they had to grow up quickly. So I think for them it's a time to be kids again. It's fun to watch them hug each other and go up to teachers and hug them too. "

The healing is just beginning.