Redmond Ore. – Despite massive around-the-clock snow removal efforts, crews and engineers need an additional day to ensure schools are safe for students to return. For that reason, all Redmond School District buildings will be closed again Tuesday, January 17th, 2017; this includes all classes, athletics, and activities.
Over the course of the last four days, over 110 crew members on the job removing snow and ice, working as fast as possible to make schools safe again. There are still a number of our schools with “watch spots” where snow loads need to be lessened, as advised by the engineers. The district needs additional time to remove the snow off roofs and away from buildings without students or staff nearby. As crews complete the advised snow removal from each building, the engineers will return to conduct a final walk through.
Note From Michael D. McIntosh, Superintendant, Redmond School District
“We have made considerable progress and I appreciate the efforts of all of those working long hours in frigid conditions to make it happen. If you happened to drive by Lynch or Obsidian this weekend, they were lit up like a Friday night football game as crews worked well into the night pushing snow from the roof. The mountains of snow that built up on the ground then have to be moved and piled away from the building in order to lessen the chances of seepage into buildings as melting occurs. We do anticipate that our schools will experience some level of leakage as a result of the storm and the amount of snow runoff. Evidence of water on the ceiling does not mean the roof has been compromised or that students are in danger.
The good news so far is that our engineers have not found any structural damage. As the snow was removed, the sagging roofs have returned to their normal positions and ceiling tiles have been restored. Additional good news is that the National Weather Service has reduced the threat of rain predicted to fall this week, although rising temperatures will still require runoff to be monitored closely. Most ground water drain systems are still buried beneath snow and ice, and our district maintenance and custodial team is already working to clear paths for water to travel away from buildings and into drain systems.
Again, as I have continued to share throughout the past couple of weeks, I so appreciate the patience and understanding our families, staff and community members have demonstrated as we face these challenging times. Having multiple school closures is a huge disruption to families with work, daycare, and transportation. We will continue to place student and staff safety at the top of our list while managing our school calendar to maximize student learning.
Our crews and contractors will continue to clear snow for the remainder of today and tomorrow. Engineers will arrive tomorrow to conduct an updated evaluation of each school building. We have high hopes to resume school on Wednesday, January 18th. We will provide an update by 5:00 p.m. tomorrow ”
Thank you,
Michael D. McIntosh,
Superintendent
