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Following the collapse of the ceiling, which was originally constructed in the 1930s, district engineers underwent a complete inspection of the school, determining that the entirety of the second floor ceilings would need to be replaced to ensure student safety.
According to New Rochelle Schools Superintendent Brian Osborne, “the age of the ceiling, and weight along with some water damage from roof leaks and water penetration through the mortar over the years caused the system to progressively fail.” Every ceiling throughout the district is being inspected following this week’s collapse at Webster.
As a result of the collapse, with the academic year less than a month away, students at the elementary school may be temporarily relocated to start the year as construction is undertaken. Osborne noted that several different buildings are being considered for the relocation and an email address has been set up at WebsterQA@nredlearn.org where questions can be provided for district officials to answer.
“We have brought together an outstanding team of expert architects, engineers and construction managers who specialize in this type of work,” he said. “They will work along with our central office staff, Webster’s seasoned principal, Melissa Passarelli and our operations and maintenance staff.”
Osborne, entering his second year as superintendent in New Rochelle, has often stated his dedication to improving and upgrading the district’s “aging facilities.” They are currently involved in several multi-million dollar undertakings at various buildings, including a boiler replacement at Albert Leonard Middle School, roof repairs at Columbus and Webster, the installation of more efficient lighting and a new public address system at several schools.
The superintendent noted that these changes and improvements are just the beginning for the New Rochelle School District.
“In my first budget as superintendent, we allocated $250,000 to hire expert architects and engineers to do a thorough analysis of our buildings and apprise us of any needed maintenance,” he said.
“This project will result in a document that is known as a Five Year Building Condition Survey. Once completed, we will develop a five-year capital plan to address any substandard maintenance conditions that may exist throughout our facilities.”
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