Dear Galloway Township School District Families:
I am writing to provide you with an important update regarding Arthur Rann Elementary School.
As you may have heard, around midnight on January 26, emergency services responded to a fire alarm at the school. Galloway Township Police arrived first and confirmed an active fire. Fire crews from the Galloway Township Fire Department (Bayview, Oceanville, and Pomona) responded promptly, located the fire, and quickly extinguished it before it became worse.
As is typical with any fire event, there was some damage from the fire itself, as well as water damage and smoke affecting a portion of the building. At this time, district administrators are continuing to assess the full extent of the damage. I was on site overnight along with district staff and worked closely with emergency responders. The building has since been turned back over to the district, and we are actively coordinating with our insurance provider and appropriate professionals to determine next steps.
In addition, while I realize there are a variety of rumors circulating on social media, please know the information contained within this communication contains the facts. For instance, there were no space heaters that caused the fire. Gossip and speculation will continue to circulate as this story makes the news and spreads on social media, please know that I will continue to update you on the facts as they become available. Currently, the cause of the fire remains under investigation, but does not appear suspicious in nature.
At this time, no additional details are available. Please know that the safety of our students and staff remains our top priority. We will continue to communicate updates as more information becomes available.
Families are encouraged to monitor their email throughout the day, as this will be our primary method of sharing further updates. Thank you for your patience and understanding.
In closing, I would be remiss if I did not thank our volunteer Galloway fire departments, Galloway EMS department, Galloway Office of Emergency Management, and our Galloway Township Police, as well as our neighboring communities emergency response teams, for their prompt response and quick action in the early morning, under such inclement weather and dangerous conditions.
Sincerely, 
Stephen P. Santilli
Superintendent of Schools