A hit close to home for a teacher in Maple Ridge.

Michele Neale, a Grade 1/2 teacher at Glenwood elementary, heard about the fire while watching Vancouver Island news at home.

Neale, who was raised on Vancouver Island and whose family has summer homes on Hornby Island, said that鈥檚 why the event stood out to her when it came on the television.

鈥淚n a small community like on Hornby Island, the school is more than just a school, it鈥檚 your community centre, it draws people together, it鈥檚 devastating for an island,鈥� said Neale about why she decided to talk about the event in her classroom during the first week of school.

The fire at Hornby Island Community School broke out in the early morning hours on Aug. 26 and heavily damaged the school deeming it unsafe to use for the upcoming school year.

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Neale鈥檚 class made up of 18 students that she had the previous year, who were waiting for the new class configurations to move into their Grade 2/3 class, decided to write a letter to the students displaced from the fire.

鈥淲e talked about how sad they would be feeling and the things they would be missing from their classroom (if there was a fire),鈥� explained Neale.

And after her students indicated that they would miss the loss of books the most, Neale decided to purchase a few books to send along with the letter.

鈥淲e were sad to hear about your school fire,鈥� began the letter addressed to the primary children at the school.

鈥淲e know fires can be scary and do a lot of damage. We wanted you to know that we are thinking about your loss. We also wanted to bring some joy to your school lives. We know books make us happy, smarter and better readers. We thought some new books could help rebuild your classroom collection. We hope you have a good year,鈥� the letter continued, signed by the students in division 14.

The students picked out the books for Neale to purchase including Pig the Star by Aaron Blabey, The Important Book by Margaret Wise Brown, Elephant and Piggie and Don鈥檛 Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo Willems and The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson.

Neale sent off the package Sept. 14.

鈥淲e just wanted to show them that there are people out here that care about what happened to you and that this was just a little token to show we are thinking of you and hope you have a good year,鈥� said Neale.

Students Payton Truc and William Page helped to write the letter to send in the package.

鈥漌e felt bad about their school. I would probably cry if it was my school. I would want other people to be kind to me,鈥� said Payton.

鈥淲e wanted to show kindness and to make some new friends,鈥� noted William.

Since the fire, a 25-year-old Comox Valley man has been arrested and charged with arson in relation to the fire.

More than 40 students had to start off the school year at Tribune Bay Outdoor Education Centre on Hornby Island.

Comox Valley Schools have since leased Room to Grow and the community hall from the Hornby Island Educational Society and Hornby Island Residents鈥� and Ratepayers鈥� Association for use from Monday to Thursday each week until a new permanent space is available.

Neale says her class learned how important kindness is and how you don鈥檛 need to receive something back for an act of kindness.