Three weeks after Jean Steckle Public School opened its doors for the first time, its students got their first unexpected day off.
Custodial staff arriving at the school early Friday morning discovered up to three inches of water in some classrooms, prompting a decision to close the school while officials investigated and repaired the issue.
“There were many classrooms that were affected,” principal Brian Burnley tells CTV News.
Located on Woodbine Avenue near Fischer-Hallman and Huron roads, Jean Steckle Public School is home to about 530 students, as well as a childcare facility which wasn’t affected by the flood and was open as usual.
The flooding was eventually traced to a burst pipe behind a second-floor water fountain.
Students and parents took the news in stride.
“It was very nice, because I don’t like school that much,” said Grade 4 student Jacob McAughey.
Helena Chatterton, who has two sons at Jean Steckle, had similar thoughts.
“We were pretty excited. An extra day off for my boys was kind of fun,” she said.
Burnley says it’s difficult to put a dollar amount on the damage until cleanup is completed.
The school will reopen Monday.
