IONIA, Mich. — No school Monday or Tuesday for Ionia Public Schools, thanks to flooding at the middle school.
The district superintendent confirms to 13 ON YOUR SIDE the entire district was forced to cancel classes after a cold water line broke sometime over the weekend.
"It appears that both the boilers did receive significant damage. We know pumps were affected, control boards, wiring,our hot water heater…a myriad of other items in that room were damaged," Wilson said.
Nearly five feet of water flooded the boiler room. Superintendent Ron Wilson believes this has to do with the cold weather and the thaw. "Every time you have those sustained cold day, it taxes the system," Wilson said.
The power was shut off earlier in the morning. As of noon on Monday, the boiler room was pumped out, but they are still going to be closed on Tuesday.
Wilson says the district has to meet a 75 percent threshold for attendance in order for the day to count. The middle school has 750-800 students. Without those students in attendance, the district would not meet the requirement to count the school day.
Ionia Public Schools have used 10 of the six allotted closing days. The superintendent says this is at least the second day students will have to make up, but only if they get approved for three more days by the state.
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