For immediate release
BEVERLY — Superintendent Suzanne Charochak reports that work is currently ongoing to remediate extensive water damage at Beverly Middle School caused by a malfunctioning faucet.
On Monday morning, July 31, Beverly Public Schools staff discovered that measurable flooding had occurred over the weekend resulting from a malfunctioning faucet in a fourth-floor science classroom. In all, 18 classrooms sustained water damage, including about five with serious water damage. The damage is spread across four floors.
The malfunction is believed to have occurred after the building’s water service was restored last Friday, July 28, following a planned interruption for unrelated maintenance work.
Work is ongoing to repair damaged drywall, doors and cabinetry in the affected classrooms, and the building is expected to be safe to open for teaching and learning by the start of the school year on Aug. 28.
While the affected areas are expected to be habitable and safe for student and staff use, work to repair cabinetry and other millwork will remain ongoing and will be completed entirely outside of school hours. This timeline is the result, in part, of supply chain-driven delays in the delivery of needed materials.
Teachers whose classrooms were impacted have been notified, and the district will take steps to make temporary storage available in the affected classrooms.
