Monday’s Storms Cause Infrastructure Damage to Five District Schools
District photos show damage in several of its schools after a storm on Monday. (photo credit / SD 308)
Area storms on Monday caused infrastructure damage to five Oswego Community Unit School District 308 schools, according to a news release from the district.
“…a series of weather-related and mechanical failures over a 24-hour period caused significant water intrusion and damage at five school buildings,” said the news release.
The five locations include Oswego High School, Long Beach Elementary School, Churchill Elementary School, Boulder Hill Elementary School, and Wolf’s Crossing Elementary School.
The district reports standing water in classrooms and leaking roofs and windows.
The district has been discussing putting a referendum on the November ballot, asking for money for infrastructure renovations and repairs throughout the district.
“These incidents are not isolated events; they are the predictable result of infrastructure that has long surpassed its useful life without adequate resources for repair and replacement,” said the district.
The district says that a backed-up air handler at Boulder Hill Elementary School failed, causing significant damage. “Mechanical systems such as this one are reaching and exceeding their designed operational lifespans,” said the district, “and without the resources to replace them proactively, failures like this will continue to occur with little warning.”
“These incidents are not isolated events; they are the predictable result of infrastructure that has long surpassed its useful life without adequate resources for repair and replacement.”
“School buildings and the mechanical, structural, and envelope systems within them are aging without sufficient funding to repair or replace critical components” said the district. “As systems continue to deteriorate, the frequency and severity of such failures will only increase.”
“Our Operations teams respond to every incident with professionalism and dedication, doing the very best they can with the resources available to them; their work is commendable,” said Superintendent Dr. Andalib Khelghati. “But no amount of effore from our facilities staff can substitute for the capital investment that major systems across our buildings desperately require. Roofs, windows, doors, mechanical units, and drainage infrastructure are in urgent need of large-scale repair and replacement.”
