Snow Damage at Arizona Schools Estimated at $100,000

Heavy snowfall in Flagstaff, Ariz. caused more than $100,000 in damage to local schools this winter, officials said.

The structural damage to the district’s buildings was caused by weeks of below-freezing temperatures, which caused the snow to remain on buildings for long periods and water to seep into the structures.

“We’ve had so much more snow and it’s never melted,” Bob Kuhn, the Flagstaff Unified School District’s assistant superintendent for operations said. “It’s mostly on the north exposures where the sun doesn’t shine and the ice builds back up.”

Of the district’s 17 buildings, the three hardest-hit were Kinsey Elementary School, Flagstaff High School and Knoles Elementary School.

Kinsey suffered water damage in 11 classrooms, Flagstaff High had damage to four rooms and two entryways and a portable classroom at Knoles was damaged beyond repair.

It isn’t clear if insurance will cover the repairs.

Source: Arizona Daily Sun.