Aberdeen schools to resume Wednesday, high school cleanup underway

Aberdeen Schools will resume classes on Wednesday, will all of the elementary schools resuming regular hours and Aberdeen High School dismissing at 12:45 p.m.

While most of the schools district-wide saw widespread flooding surrounding the buildings, Aberdeen High School saw the worst damage from the excessive rain which set a record Sunday night through Monday morning.

Rain water and flood water from the street made its way into the school through the back, spreading throughout the kitchen, the commons area and down the hallway toward the front doors. As the building is repaired, the dismissal time may change.

“We don’t think there was a failure of anything that allowed the water to come in, we’ve just never had this much rain,” Opstad said on Monday. “It ran off Arnold Hill, met the standing water around the building, diverted and started going into the school.”

Kitchen staff members first noticed the water when they arrived for work at about 5 a.m. on Monday morning. The school called Servpro — a disaster restoration company — which was on scene by 8 a.m. and their crews began working to clean the mess shortly after.

The floodwater is considered surface water, a category-3 contaminant containing silt and soil. The district had to remove soiled carpeting and some drywall was damaged.

“We’re hoping to get a local contractor in to the do the repair work,” Opstad said.

The water didn’t just damage the building — it also disrupted operations. The district’s food service director canceled deliveries to the high school because the school couldn’t safely be reached through the water and the kitchen couldn’t be used.

Before food can be prepared in the kitchen, and before students can use the commons area, the school will have to ensure the facilities are properly cleaned.

“The main concern is any bacteria brought in by the water,” Opstad said. “We’re testing to make sure all surfaces are good to go.” Surfaces include floors, counters, tables and chairs.

An optimistic scenario puts the kitchen back in operation by Monday of next week, assuming the cleaning and repairs can be completed and deliveries can be made.

All three floors of the classroom wing were not impacted by the flood. Until further notice, students will enter and exit the building at the south entrance along Second Street.

The administration and coaches are still determining the final details what to do about sports practice schedules and upcoming home games and meets.

To mitigate the impacts of the out-of-service kitchen and commons area, students will be fed in advisory classrooms and the kitchen staff will work in the community room.

The elementary schools are situated on elevated parcels and were reinforced with sandbags before the rain. Though most were or still are surrounded by flood water, only one elementary school suffered minor damage. A boiler at Robert Gray was being repaired on Tuesday.

The middle school, too, avoided catastrophe. The building and the newly installed outdoor track were, like the elementary schools, surrounded by water but not damaged.