Pentucket schools closed until Feb. 23

District won't be heading to their classrooms anytime soon.

Superintendent Jeff Mulqueen has ordered all six

to close for the rest of the week because of the extreme amount of snow on the roofs. The closure impacts the four elementary schools in Groveland, West Newbury, and Merrimac, Pentucket Regional Middle School, and Pentucket Regional High School.

The district was scheduled to be closed next week for the February vacation. That means schools won't re-open until Feb. 23.

The superintendent says word of the lengthy closure got out a

little earlier than he wanted, saying a local newspaper announced it before the decision was final. But now it is final.

The problem is too much snow on the buildings' roofs. Mulqueen said normally the snow has time to melt between storms, but adds that hasn't been the case during the last couple of weeks. He says the limit is 30 pound per square foot. "Recent snow storms and the storms predicted for the next few days raised my level of concern," Mulqueen said.   He said he made the decision for the closure after consulting experts.

"While we all agreed that the snow needed to be removed as quickly as possible, we also realized that it would take some time today to contact contractors and develop a schedule. The best course of action was to cancel school through the remaining days of this week to implement our strategy," Mulqueen told parents in a written statement.

The district says the high school and middle school each have 100,000 sq. ft. of roof space and before it can all be cleared, snow in the immediate area also needs to be cleared. "Right now, there is no where to dump all of the snow from the roof without creating a potentially dangerous situation," the district statement read.

Now that the closure issue is settled, the district has to figure out how and when to make up those school days.That announcement is expected in the coming weeks.

Here's the letter sent to parents Tuesday:

Good Morning Parents and Staff Members,

Our weather pattern of frequent, high intensity snow storms raised my concern as our grounds crew completed clean up late yesterday afternoon. Snow levels on the roofs of schools have been monitored since the onset of our winter weather. This is a regular part of managing our schools through the winter months. Each roof has a 30 pound per square foot capacity and we monitor the snow levels carefully. Typically, the snow has sufficient time to melt between storms so that the total weight remains within a low range. That has not been the case during the last couple of weeks. Recent snow storms and the storms predicted for the next few days raised my level of concern.

It is usual for me to reach out to our town officials for counsel. I frequently connect with police chiefs, fire chiefs, and selectmen to talk over challenges that we face. The chairman of each town's Board of Selectmen, Betty Gorski, Glenn Kemper, and Laura Mailman, generously agreed to join me for a meeting last night to talk over my concerns about the snow loads on the roofs of schools. They agreed with my assessment of the problem as well as resolving to clear the roofs as quickly as possible. The District and towns have a highly collaborative relationship that supports clear, effective resolution to issues. We all benefit from this productive relationship. I appreciate my partnership with town officials.

While we all agreed that the snow needed to be removed as quickly as possible, we also realized that it would take some time today to contact contractors and develop a schedule. The best course of action was to cancel school through the remaining days of this week to implement our strategy.

Unfortunately, the premature release of information by the local newspaper interrupted the usual flow of thorough communication that parents and staff have become accustomed to in Pentucket. Hopefully the information in this letter will help you understand the circumstances we are facing and that we are anticipating a quick turnaround with snow removal. The report of schools being inoperable through next week is an exaggeration. Our vacation week serves as an added cushion of time for us to remediate the difficulties. The high school and middle school roofs each have approximately 100,000 square feet of area. That is a lot of snow to remove and a lot of snow to move on the ground. A sizeable ground operation must be coordinated in tandem with the removal of snow from each roof. The operation at each elementary school will be as complex and labor intensive as that at the regional campus. We do not want to risk damage to the roof of any school.

Like many school districts, Pentucket will need to develop a plan that addresses our requirement for 180 days of school. The development of such a plan will require careful planning with the Pentucket Teachers' Association and our school administrators. I look forward to sharing this information soon with parents and staff members.

Thank you for your support during this difficult time. I look forward to warmer weather!

Sincerely,

Jeff Mulqueen