Winters Elementary school ‘closed until further notice,’ board members say

PAWTUCKET, R.I. (WLNE) — Winters Elementary School in Pawtucket will remain closed until further notice after another heating coil failed.

School officials said they discovered the coil failed and caused more water damage to classrooms Sunday morning.

“Out of an abundance of caution, we are going to have school canceled tomorrow here at Winters Elementary only,” said James Chellel Jr., Pawtucket School Committee member.

“We regret that this has happened. This is something beyond our control, but we will get it fixed and we will not have our students here until it is safe and secure,” added Joanne Bonollo, Pawtucket School Committee.

Winters Elementary was set to reopen Monday after students missed two weeks of in-person learning and were set to return from winter break.

Instead, students will stay home and continue to learn virtually as they have for most of this month.

This weekend’s damage, the school said, is less severe but is the latest in a number of issues with the brand new elementary school that just opened last September.

The start of school delayed six days back in September following a failed fire alarm battery test during final inspections of the new school. Then, during the arctic blast that brought negative wind chill temperatures, a burst heating coil caused 23 classrooms to suffer severe water damage.

Now, the latest in the ongoing problem with the school — another pipe burst shooting out hot water at about 135 degrees.

School officials said they’re lucky no students and staff were in the building when this happened and are now investigating the two most recent incidents.

“We’re gonna find all that stuff out. Responsibility will be handed out but for today, it’s about getting the job done and we have a plan going forward for the students the staff and the community,” school officials said.