On January 3, due to the cold weather, a pipe burst in Farragut Middle School and began to flood the Farragut Wing. The water ran for over 24 hours, completely destroying the floors of the middle school, including the bottom floor and the fifth and sixth grade hallways. The alarm systems put in place to detect an emergency like this failed to warn the administration of the floods occurrence, resulting in it remaining undiscovered. When the administration learned of the situation, a maintenance team was sent to stop the flood.
The details were slowly released over a series of emails from both the village and the school, disclosing the damage that occurred over the hours that the water was running. Seventeen classrooms, as well as the hallways, were severely damaged, including teaching materials, desks, decorations, and even students’ belongings. It was a tragic upset to both faculty and the student body. However, the keepsakes and memories treasured by many teachers that were destroyed by the flood can be seen as the saddest loss.
After the initial flood, the high school and elementary school were closed for an extra day after break and the middle school was closed for two additional days. Middle school principal Scott Wynne and high school principal Andrew Clayman worked to organize the relocation of affected students. Seven high school classrooms have been given to the middle school, along with parts of the library and auditorium.
Relocation:
To avoid disruption, fifth grade students remain together at FMS. The sixth, seventh, and eighth graders will have some classes moved into the high school. Both Mr. Clayman and Mr. Wynne will work to make sure that the middle and high school students will have little to no interaction. Since the contents of the middle schoolers’ lockers were destroyed, teachers will work with students to help them replace ruined notes and books. All of their belongings were individually bagged and students can gather them when they come back. All students will continue to receive their regular services and accommodations.
Concerns:
Students and parents were both upset about the mixing of the two schools. Middle school parents were especially concerned with vaping in the high school bathrooms. On the other hand, high school students were annoyed about having to share their space with younger students. The different bell schedules between the two schools was also a concern, as the middle schoolers have 40 minute periods while high schoolers have 80 minute periods. Despite the initial concern, administration has kept the interaction between schools to a minimum by limiting the shared use of bathrooms and making sure that the middle and high schools aren’t released from class at the same time.
Renovation:
Demolition began immediately and continued throughout the weekend and into the next week. All floors and ceilings need to be ripped out and replaced if they were exposed to water. The affected hallways have been roped off so they can be fixed. RENU Restoration, PBDW Architects/LAN Engineering, and the school’s insurance company NYSIR have been onsite helping with the damage. As far as funding goes, the Board of Education has declared a public emergency and authorized construction work at a cost of no more than $300,000. The wood and plaster were tested and asbestos was not found. RENU has been working for six days a week, removing flooring and ceilings. The renovation is estimated to take the rest of the school year.
FMS Principal Scott Wyne spoke of how the Hastings community should focus on the unity and perseverance this event has inspired: “The true silver lining of this whole situation: our students! Their acceptance of change, positive demeanor, and desire to help one another have brought the lifeblood back into the school building.”
