For the second time in 12 months, Moretown Elementary School flooded, causing damage to flooring, and the school’s boiler in the July 10 flooding.
Harwood Unified Union School District superintendent Dr. Mike Leichliter said G.W. Savage was able to get to the site first thing on July 11 and has been working on clean up and remediation. He said with six weeks before the start of the school year he does not expect any delays in reopening the school.
As with flooding in July 2023 and December 2023, the flooding last week was not from the Mad River, but rather from uphill behind the school.
“The water entered behind the building, similar to last time,” Leichliter said, adding that VSBIT, the district’s insurance agency, was handling the claim. The water got into the boiler room and the lower level of the school and damaged flooring on the bottom and first floors.
The water levels rose higher than they did during December flooding this time, he reported.
“In addition to Moretown and Crossett Brook, we had erosion of trails and banks behind Harwood,” Leichliter said on July 17.
He reported water inundation at Crossett Brook Middle School in one corner of the building where the water broke through barriers at the brook and ran alongside the road.
“We think the brook jumped the bank and washed out near the main transformer next to the drive in and is coming through a compromised conduit. The facility director said the water was spouting from the conduit near the school when he arrived this morning. There are a few areas that are impacted from water running in the building,” Leichliter noted.
The July 10 flooding resulted in the same problems that hit the school during December 2023 flooding. That flood occurred on December 18 when classes were cancelled shortly after the school day got underway.
In December, the school reopened briefly two days later with students taking field trips until the holiday break started. When the break was over, the school was able to reopen after the holiday break.
