KADOKA - Timmothy Fanning likes the size of the school in Kadoka, if not necessarily the 27-mile bus ride to get there.

"It's big," the 7-year-old second-grader said Wednesday morning, as he worked in a temporary classroom in the elementary wing of the Kadoka School. "I like it. My school's too small for me."

It's also too cold these days, after a blizzard last week knocked out power throughout parts of western South Dakota, including southeast Jackson County where the Long Valley Elementary School sits along S.D. Highway 73. It's near the store, post office, cluster of buildings and six residences that now make up the community of Long Valley.

The school there has been without power for a week, as line crews plowed through drifts to replace power poles snapped off by ice and wind. That's why Timmothy Fanning and 16 other students rode buses north through badlands breaks and across the White River on Wednesday to the school district headquarters at Kadoka.

"They showed up at the Long Valley School at the normal time, 8 a.m., then we bused them up here," Kadoka Elementary School Principal Roger Jensen said. "The kids were in good humor, ready to go."

Once in school at Kadoka, they resumed work that was interrupted by the storm.

"We wanted to get them back into the classroom before they started to forget some of the things we were teaching them before the storm," Jensen said. "Meanwhile, we're trying to get the school at Long Valley open as soon as we can."

That could be Friday, although work remains to be done.

Long Valley Elementary normally serves 28 students. But since the storm hit, it hasn't served any at all.

Kadoka schools shut down last Thursday and Friday, but were back in the education business this week. So was Long Valley on Wednesday, even if the blizzard-forced-busing option created some complications for teachers.

"It's not real convenient for the teachers," Jensen said. "It's easier for the students than for the teachers."

That's because teachers have to organize their lesson schedule for multiple grades and transport a carefully selected complement of materials.

"You have to figure out what to bring and what you'll need. That's a little tricky," Nancy Weller said, as she managed instruction in different subjects for five students from the second, third and fourth grades in a room normally used for after-school programs. "The students have adjusted pretty well to it."

Third-graders Rachel Ireland and Dawn Claussen seemed completely settled as they worked on syllable division in their temporary quarters. So did fourth-graders Lindsey Vander May and Cameron Fanning, Timm's big brother, as they delved into U.S. history.

"What were the goals of Lewis and Clark?" Weller asked.

"To get to the Pacific Ocean by river," Lindsey answered quickly.

With part of the school population back in class Wednesday, Jensen was hoping for even more students today. But with power out, off-highway travel constricted and families displaced to find heat and light, 100-percent attendance might be wishful thinking.

"The kids were told to tell their friends if they seen them," Jensen said. "So we're hoping a few more will come tomorrow. Lots of them are staying with relatives until they hear their electricity is back on."

That will take at least another day, depending on the electrical work and a check to make sure water at the school is safe to drink after a week without being used.

Meanwhile, Long Valley students were to meet at the school again this morning for the bus ride north to Kadoka.

The more students, the more complications for Jensen and school officials in finding space in the school for the temporary additions. The options include the after-school-program room, library and pre-school room.

"We'll do some alternating, but we'll be OK," he said.

Contact Kevin Woster at 394-8413 or kevin.woster@rapidcityjournal.com