The Edgecombe County Board of Education voted unanimously Tuesday (7-0) to repair Princeville Elementary School, which was founded by freed slaves and chartered in 1885.
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The vote elicited applause and tears.
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Princeville Elementary students will continue to attend class in a family resource center until their school reopens in the fall of 2018.
READ MORE: Princeville students return to school after flooding
The board specified that the school will be rebuilt with several hazard mitigation improvements, such as elevated air conditioning units.
Officials say $270,000 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency will cover those changes, while insurance will pay for the estimated $4 million in repairs.
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The Associated Press contributed to this post.