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Glenville-Emmons Schools dismissed to spring break early this week because of major leaks into the classrooms.

In a message posted on Facebook Monday evening, the district wrote that the weather was wreaking havoc on the school.

“The reason school was not in session today was a direct result of the amount of precipitation we received this weekend,” the message stated. “We have come to expect leaks each spring and do our best to prepare for them. But this weekend, the sheer weight of the slush from the melting snow combined with steady rainfall has caused many areas of our roof to leak.”

They said water continued to leak into a majority of the high school classrooms, and with more rain and snow expected, they decided to start spring break early.

Students will return to school April 2.

The problems come as the district struggles with how to replace the roof and other needs at the school.

Last August, Glenville-Emmons voters voted against a referendum for a new preschool through 12th-grade school by a vote of 579 “yes” votes to 715 “no” votes.

The current high school was built almost 70 years ago, while the elementary building is over 50 years old, and school administration said the new building is needed because the current buildings were run down, citing needs for model repairs, including major systems.  

Supporters of the referendum believed no matter how well-maintained the school buildings were, at some point age would have eventually caught up to them anyway and that a new building would be needed.

Opponents, on the other hand, worried about the fiscal impact on families a new school building would have, and said given the school’s declining enrollment, even with a new building there would still be a possibility the district could consolidate and that taxpayers would still be paying for something even if it wasn’t in use.