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Update on East Rockaway High School

Repairing the damage that Hurricane Sandy left behind

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It’s easy to get impatient when waiting for a big project to be completed — especially when that project includes the displacement of hundreds of students, adminstrators, teachers and staff of a local high school.

Since Hurricane Sandy barrelled through the area on October 29, devastating the community and causing severe damage to the high school, work has been ongoing to bring the high school back — and the students back to their own school.

Last week, the administration held a community forum with the purpose of informing the public of the progess of the repairs being done at the building.

The damaged areas of the high school included the admistrative offices in the 1967 wing; the assistant principal’s office near the auditorium; The band room, the chorus room, the kitchen and the cafeteria; the locker rooom and nearby offices; the large and small gyms; the auditorium; tech rooms 1 and 2, and the weight room; the boiler room, corridors and the AD’s office; and the main electrical room and crawl space. Miscellaneous storage rooms and closets were also affected. The second floor of the building escaped unscathed.

Earlier this week, Superintendent Roseanne Melucci shared some good news: “The central office has come back to the high school,” she said. “This includes the superintendent’s office, PPS, business, facilities and curriculum and technology. There is still a great deal of work to be done before the students can return, but it is a great start!” The administrators have been working out of the BOCES offices in Westbury.

General construction work includes the removal and replacement of flood-damaged sheetrock and plaster walls. New doors installed in all flood-damaged areas; ceiling tile replacements will be made as required.

Some other work being done, completed, or nearing completion include:

Electical work: new connection to the LIPA transformer; new building switchgear; new electrical panels as needed; and new feeders to all existing electrical panels. Feeders were removed from the crawl space and installed in the ceiling of the first floor.

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