School Resource Officer Larry Brown had a special message and gift April 4 for those leading educational efforts during Boothbay Region Elementary School’s closure. Two months ago, a damaged sprinkler system flooded the school, resulting in its closure. The crisis resulted in a challenging educational environment for pre-kindergarten to grade 12 students. School officials began an immediate search for “outside the box” solutions to providing in-person learning to all students. 

Brown is appreciative of the efforts made by the community during the crisis. He also wants to recognize efforts by school system leaders in their dedication. Brown is on medical leave recovering from rotator cuff surgery, but that did not stop him from recognizing leaders’ efforts during the crisis.

He described the situation as akin to “Captains leading a ship through rough waters.” Brown called BRES Principal Shawna Kurr, Boothbay Region High School Principal Tricia Campbell, Facilities Director Dave Benner and Community School District Trustee Chairman Steve Lorrain “captains” and presented them with go-bags at the CSD trustees meeting.   

Brown chose go-bags because they are often filled with emergency items such as bottled water, flashlights and first aid kits. “I wanted to thank everyone for all the work done since the pipe burst. I thought this was a good time to recognize their work, and present them with these go-bags,” Brown said. 

As the crisis enters its third month, repairs are on schedule for a partial elementary school re-opening after April vacation. Benner reported all the demolition work was complete, and the final leg of sheet rock installation had begun. “They might be done hanging the sheet rock in the grades 3-6 wing tomorrow (April 5), and the painters are waiting to start,” he said. 

Benner said the flooding impacted nearly two-thirds of the building’s floor space and partitions were stationed to keep contamination from spreading. The gymnasium floor renovation is nearly complete. “The floor came up very hard. They laid the maple today, and the subfloor bonded to the concrete,” he said. “When it’s all done, it will be a beautiful floor.” Benner added, the floor renovation cost $206,000. 

In his report, Superintendent Bob Kahler discussed challenges caused by keeping up with mounting bills and insurance communications; Kahler has not added up all the damages. He is working on devising a system for sorting out the various insurance claims.  

He told trustees he is working on a flood account. Kahler plans on separating bills into three insurance categories. He explained one category would list travel expenses such as seventh- and eight-graders traveling to Camp Kieve five days a week. Another would be for school materials destroyed by flooding.

Trustees meet next at 5:15 p.m. Tuesday, April 25 in a joint-budget meeting with the CSD superintending committee in the high school library.