Updated: Borough Schools to Open a Day Later

New Milford School District Superintendent Michael Polizzi said all four borough schools will now be opening on Wednesday Sept. 7, a day later than originally scheduled as a result of flood-related issues.

"We really need the extra day as the efforts of our custodial and maintenance staff are directed on the clean up efforts," said Polizzi. 

Polizzi said all faculty members had been notified already. Parents and guardians can expect notification through the "typical messaging" used to communicate with them. Signs in front of all borough schools were being changed to reflect the new start date.

"The parents have always been very understanding and very cooperative," said Polizzi. "The biggest disruption has been to our planned teacher development and orientation."

New teacher orientation, originally scheduled for three days, is being run in two days with an abbreviated schedule for the 25 new faculty members joining the district. Orientation for them will take place on Wednesday and Thursday this week, with all teachers reporting for their first day of work on Sept. 6.

Polizzi said all four district schools lost power. Power has now been restored to all schools with the last of the buildings getting it back around lunchtime on Tuesday. The district's computer servers were being brought back online Tuesday as well.

The high school was hardest hit as the river crossed Madison Avenue and entered the lowest portion of the building on Sunday night.

"We had water in the building in the lower level only, with a maximum height of about two inches," said Polizzi. "Most of the damage was to the administrative and business offices for the district."

The cafeteria and kitchen areas remained "bone dry" throughout the flooding, according to Polizzi.

Polizzi said Ron Stokes, the supervisor of buildings and grounds for the district, was responsible for sparing the district from major loss. 

"Ron and his crew did so much work before the flooding," said Polizzi. "They lifted all the furniture and file cabinets--we didn't lose anything of value."

The carpeting took the biggest hit in the district's offices and a restoration company was on the scene Tuesday, drying out carpets and dehumidifying the area. 

"Tomorrow we will work out of alternate spaces and we hope to move back into the offices on Thursday," said Polizzi. 

Once again the athletic fields sustained damaged as historic flood levels affected the football field, practice field and tennis courts.

Polizzi said Stokes and his staff will remediate all of the playing fields.

"They are out there now on the tennis courts," said Polizzi. "They began to work as soon as the waters receded."

As long as the weather cooperates, Polizzi said, Stokes and his team could begin remediating the football field.

"We will put the lime down which will kill any bacteria or germs once the sun gets to it for a couple of days," said Stokes. "This was a clear water storm and a quick storm and there were no reports of health concerns about the flood water."

Stokes said lingering storms do more damage than the quick ones and that clean water coming down from the reservoir made up the flood waters which makes clean up easier.

Joe Ricciardelli, athletic director for the high school, said he was awaiting confirmation from North Arlington, but the football scrimmage scheduled for Friday was most likely going to be played in Dumont. 

As for damage in the other borough schools, Stokes said there wasn't anything major that he saw on the surface.

"There were a few small leaks and the fire alarm system went crazy so we will have to assess what happened," said Stokes. The fire alarm system was set to be check by an outside firm on Wednesday.

In terms of the cost of the clean up, Polizzi said there was no official estimate of the overall cost at this time.

"We have not been able to estimate the damage but we will go through all of the reports that have been made as the process has been well documented," said Polizzi. "We have notified our insurance carriers."

Polizzi said the community response has been great and that the district has received support from borough officials, the mayor, police chief and fire department.

"The communication both internally and externally has been excellent," said Polizzi. "The support was felt even going back to before Irene's arrival."

"The biggest investment was the 24/7 commitment of Ron Stokes and his staff who spared the district from any great loss," said Polizzi. 

Note: The first meeting for newly accepted academy students at NMHS has been moved to Sept. 7 immediately after school in the auditorium.