WICHITA, Kansas, July19, 2008 -- It's been about five weeks since a massive tornado swept away half of Chapman in Dickinson county.

The clean-up is done and many of the destroyed homes are now empty lots.

The towns main focus is opening school in August.

Chapman high school teacher Brian sweet lost his home in the tornado.

"The schools are the most important places in town. It's a gathering place. It's a place for people to communicate. It's a bond for everyone”, said Brian.

Brian along with the other fifteen teachers who lost their homes, have moved out of town.

All three schools in the Chapman school district suffered serious damage in the tornado, but as the centerpiece of this community, school administrators say Chapman schools will open on august 18th.

Portable classrooms fill the school's parking lots and the remaining structures are being rebuilt.

Superintendent Tony Frieze said, "instead of looking back like over my shoulder here, as soon as this debris is gone and we start building back. I'm just looking forward to starting school."

Residents are focusing on raising money to re-build the schools, and retain their teachers.

Chapman teacher Matt Weller said, "It's nice to be able to get people together in Chapman for something positive and to have fun rather than to get people together just to pick up the remains of houses."

The community came out to Saturday's charity golf tournament raising money for teachers who were displaced by the tornado.

The event raised over fifteen thousand dollars.