Out with the old, in with the new.

As expected, students at East Side Community High School returned to their building on East 12th Street today for the first time since structural issues forced them to evacuate in September.

“I think I could speak for all the staff and parents that we are overjoyed and thrilled to be back,” said Maria Green, whose son is in the ninth grade. Ms. Green added that the students are also excited to get back to their usual routine. “They are grateful to Norman Thomas, but they are happy to be leaving because there’s no place like home,” she said.

Construction to secure a wall that had become detached from the building was slated to last until February, but work was completed sooner than expected and in time for the students’ second semester. Over the long weekend East Side staff and parent volunteers moved materials out of temporary classrooms at Norman Thomas High School and P.S. 1, and readied their original rooms for the students’ return.

“We were doing a happy dance,” said Ann Lazaroff, who commended the teachers for keeping students invested in school despite the challenges of the last few months. “My son got better grades in that time because of the community spirit and bonding with everyone,” she said.

Mark Federman, the school’s principal, agreed that the students had shown exceptional perseverance. “The real story here is how amazing our students, staff and families handled the time we were away,” he commented on The Local. “Incredible teaching and learning continued under extremely difficult circumstances.”

Girls Prep, which shares the building with East Side, returned to school yesterday.

Though the interior of the building is secure, construction on the exterior is expected to continue when school is not in session.