EAST WINDSOR, CT — Flooding from a damaged fire sprinkler head temporarily closed East Windsor High School's gymnasium and disrupted student activities, the school district said as it invited residents to tour the building and discuss a proposed replacement campus.
The Oct. 19 incident kept the gym closed through Oct. 26 for cleanup and repairs, according to East Windsor Public Schools. The gym has since reopened.
The volleyball team's Senior Night game against Goodwin Tech was rescheduled for Nov. 2. Other affected activities were temporarily moved or postponed, the district said.
Residents can tour the high school at 76 South Main St. beginning at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 4, before the Ad Hoc Committee on School Renovation Planning meets there at 7 p.m., according to the district's announcement. Those interested in a tour are encouraged to preregister using the district's tour form.
The district described the flooding as an isolated event while pointing to broader maintenance problems at the roughly 60-year-old school, including deteriorating roofs, failing heating and cooling systems, and compromised exterior walls and windows.
"While the flooding was an isolated event, it underscores the ongoing challenges of maintaining the district's 60-year-old facility," the district said.
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The proposed school project would replace the high school with a combined middle and high school campus on the existing site. A separate proposal calls for renovating Broad Brook Elementary School, according to the town and district's school project website.
District officials say the combined campus would reduce the total space the district maintains and lower operating and maintenance costs. Those are projected benefits of the proposal.
The district's project FAQ describes separate middle and high school wings, cafeterias and gymnasiums, with shared facilities including an auditorium and media center. It says combining the schools would not produce transportation savings.
As Patch previously reported, a September 2025 consultant report estimated the new combined school at $98.59 million and the elementary renovation at $46.86 million, totaling $145.45 million before state reimbursement. Those figures were preliminary estimates based on conceptual designs.
In its flooding announcement, the district thanked the Warehouse Point Fire Department, East Windsor Police Department and Officer Beturne for protecting equipment and student belongings. It also credited facilities staff for the restoration work and thanked students, staff, coaches and families for their patience.
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