The Port Washington School District will install an interim roof at the Guggenheim Elementary School next week to replace a portion of the roof that has been leaking for over a month, Superintendent of Schools Kathleen Mooney said.
Once the 2017-18 budget is approved, the district can continue with a plan to install a permanent section of the roof.
After trying other methods to stop the leaking, the district met with a roofing contractor, who provided the plan to install an interim roof, Mooney said.
“This will provide a watertight roof with a lifespan of three to five years and the work will take place during school recess next week,” Mooney said. “In addition, continuing with the district’s long-term planning, the district will use funds from the annual budget to install a permanent section of roof. The district is forced to work within a constraining tax cap, which forces the district to be financially prudent when funding projects that maintain our buildings and grounds.”
The district made repairs to the roof in February but water continued to drip, according to a letter sent to parents on March 6.
The custodial staff has continued to remove wet tiles, the letter said.
Jim Ristano, the district’s director of facilities, declined to comment and referred questions to the district’s public relations firm.
The school set up garbage cans in the hallways to catch the water and tried covering up some of the leaks with tarp, according to photos.
According to a letter from Melea Ermilio, the recording secretary of the Guggenheim Home and School Association, the leaks are in the “green” and “yellow” hallways, which all students use to get to music class.
“This is a safety issue and a potential health issue for those with asthma or allergies as water is trapped,” Ermilio said in the letter sent to parents last month.
Once a budget, which will be voted on in May, is approved, the district is required to submit information, including architectural plans and a source of funds, to the state Department of Education, Mooney said.
The work on the permanent section needs approval because it is considered a capital construction project.
The district expects to bid out and complete the work during the summer, Mooney said.
“As always, the health and safety of our students and staff is our top priority and we are pleased that this issue is being remedied and will continue to monitor the situation,” Mooney said.
The district also hired J.C. Broderick and Associates Inc., an environmental consultant, to conduct a moisture assessment in March.
The inspection did not find any evidence of mold in any of the affected areas, but it did recommend some areas be monitored for future mold growth.
