Winslow Middle School students will remain on hybrid schedule for months due to water damage in building

Winslow Township interim Superintendent Mark Pease had been on the job for a week when he received an urgent message.

A burst pipe in September at the Winslow Middle School had flooded the sprawling complex. Crews were frantically trying to manage the leak that left most sections under several inches of water.

It was the first major challenge for Pease, who stepped into the role to replace Superintendent H. Major Poteat, who is on medical leave.

Pease shut down the middle school for three days while experts assessed the damage. The school enrolls about 740 seventh and eighth graders. Since then, students have had a hybrid schedule, with two days in person and three virtual learning days per week because the school can accommodate only half its students at one time.

Experts determined that the water damage was massive and would require extensive repairs to about 28 classrooms, two gyms, the library, the main office, and the entrance area.

Initially, the project was expected to take about a month, but that timeline has been extended. The repairs, done by All-Risk Property Damage Experts Inc., which specializes in school restoration, could take until January or February to complete, Pease said.

After removing standing water, contractors had to dry out the building and environmental specialists inspected it for mold damage and air quality, Pease said. They had to rip out drywall and flooring.

Pease said the project is expected to cost more than $1 million. Most of it will be covered by insurance after a $5,000 deductible, he said.

“Things are moving. They’re progressing,” Pease said in a recent interview. “We’re pushing really hard.”

It has not been determined what caused the water main break, Pease said. Custodians were in the building when the leak occurred, he said.

“This wasn’t your normal sink or toilet overflowing,” Pease said. “This was a serious emergency.”

On a recent morning, contractors were making repairs in the art room. Supplies were stockpiled in hallways. Pease said contractors have been working overtime and he hopes the work will be completed ahead of schedule.

About half of the building was not damaged by the water main break, so classes are held in that area, Pease said. The cafeteria was not affected, so meals are served to students on their in-person learning days. To-go meals are available on virtual days.

Some parents wanted the district to move the students to another school, but Pease said there was not adequate space. The district enrolls about 5,000 students and has nine schools.

The school day feels different with students only in person two days a week, said parent Mary Kelchner. They especially miss socializing with friends, she said.

“The kids are struggling with it,” said Kelchner, whose daughter, Kathryn, is an eighth grader. “I feel so bad for these kids.”

Pease said the district was able to quickly implement hybrid learning for students and staff using the model introduced during the pandemic, when schools nationwide were shut down by the coronavirus.

The New Jersey Department of Education approved the plan but required the district to make up the three missed days. Other schools in the district remain on their normal schedule.

Parents picked up Chromebooks for students to use for the virtual learning days. Students follow an A-B schedule, with half reporting in person on Mondays and Thursdays and the other half on Tuesdays and Fridays.

The current middle school students were first and second graders when the pandemic upended education around the country and some schools were closed for months.

“These kids are resilient,” said Assistant Superintendent Sheresa Clement.

Parent Karima Robinson worries about potential learning loss, as seen during the COVID-19 pandemic, when academic achievement suffered drastically. Experts say it could take years for those students affected to recover.

“It’s definitely setting kids back,” Robinson said. Her daughter, a seventh grader, has adjusted well, she said.

Pease said the district plans to carefully monitor students’ academic performance. Tutoring and remediation will be available if needed, he said.

“Nothing will replace students being in a building in the face of a teacher,” Pease said. “We want them back in school.”

Kelchner said her daughter, a straight-A student, has fallen behind in math. She said her daughter has had technical issues and difficulty hearing the teacher.

“She absolutely hates it,” Kelchner said. “She’s having a hard time keeping up.”

Principal William Shropshire said the school has maintained most of its extracurricular activities but had to forfeit a few home sporting events. Winter sports, which began this week, will be held at other district schools, he said.

Shropshire said attendance has not fallen off during virtual days, averaging about 98%. During the pandemic, chronic absenteeism was a problem in some districts, with students not showing up for virtual learning.

An educator for 32 years, Pease said this has been one of the biggest challenges in his career. He previously was employed in the Somerdale and Palmyra school districts. His contract in Winslow runs through June 2026.

“We’re doing our best to get them back in school,” he said.