Classes at Schalmont Middle School to resume Tuesday following burst pipe

Schalmont Middle School sign — The sign for Schalmont Middle and High School entrance on Route 7 in Rotterdam is pictured.

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ROTTERDAM – Classes at Schalmont Middle School will resume Tuesday after the school was closed Monday due to classroom flooding caused by a burst pipe that ruptured due to this pas past weekend’s subzero temperatures, the district announced.

On Sunday, the district announced on its website and social media pages that the middle school would be closed after a burst pipe flooded several classrooms on Sunday. The leak was discovered about an hour after the pipe burst, the district said in a statement. Only the middle school classes were impacted while crews worked to address the damage; classes at the high school and Jefferson Elementary went on as scheduled.

“We believe a pipe broke due to the cold weather, and we discovered the leak roughly an hour after it started,” the message reads. “After assessing the situation, we need to cancel school for the Middle School on Monday.”

By Monday afternoon, the district announced that the school would reopen Tuesday.

“We offer our sincerest appreciation to our amazing Facilities Department who worked so hard to get schools ready to reopen after this weekend’s broken pipe caused flooding in parts of the school. Thank you!” the district said in a statement.

Burst pipes are not uncommon when temperatures drop. Water trapped in the pipes freezes and expands, causing the pipes to rupture. This weekend’s temperatures dipped as low as -13 degrees on Saturday, but reached a high of 42 on Sunday, according to the National Weather Service

Schalmont Middle School was not the only school in the area impacted by flooding caused by ruptured pipes.

Union College, on Monday, announced “a major sprinkler line failure” caused by the subzero temperatures resulted in “significant damage” to the Reamer Campus Center over the weekend, impacting dining services, according to social media posts.

Upper Class and Dutch Hollower suffered “extensive water damage,” and the area is closed until further notice, the college announced.

Additional dining spaces are now available in College Park Hall and the Rathskeller, according to the postings.

“The College would like to give special recognition to the dedicated staff who worked tirelessly this weekend to respond to this emergency and other weather-related campus impacts of the recent cold,” the college said. “Many worked all weekend and their efforts are deeply appreciated.”

Contact reporter Chad Arnold at: [email protected] or by calling 518-395-3120.