Dozens of frustrated parents packed a meeting at a Long Island elementary school Friday to hear what officials plan to do about a leaky roof that’s been plaguing the school for two months.
Trashcans line the halls of Guggenheim Elementary School in Port Washington. They’re there to catch water that’s leaking into the school from a damaged roof. Parents say the leaky roof has been disrupting classes and may pose a threat to their kids.
“There are potential mold and structural issues, and nobody can tell me 100 percent it is safe to send my child here to school,” Lisa Roth said.
Photos provided by parents show exposed ceilings, red trash cans and yellow caution tape up and down the hallways of the school. Video shows water dripping down from near wires and light fixtures.
Charles Krell said the leaking water forced his daughter’s class to move to the gym. At least one other class had to be relocated.
“You literally look up and you can see into the roof throughout the entire school,” Krell said.
Port Washington school officials asked police to keep News 4 New York out of Friday’s meeting, but one parent sent a photo showing about 50 angry parents at the meeting.
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Lisa Kraidin said she’s appalled by the school district’s response.
“They haven’t done a sufficient job addressing these issues,” she said. “It doesn't seem they've given it the kind of urgency it deserves.”
School officials told parents Friday that temporary repairs will be done next week, but replacing the damaged roof will take longer because it needs approval from the State Education Department.
Larry Greenstein, a member of the Port Washington School Board, insisted that the building poses no threat to kids.
“The State Education Department sent in somebody to check and they said no health and safety issues that they can determine,” Greenstein said.
Greenstein said mold testing was done at Guggenheim Elementary on Friday and that results are pending.
In a statement, the school district said the health of students and staff remains paramount to them.
The State Education Department did not respond to a request for comment.
