By Matthew Sockol
Staff Writer
FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP – Administrators in the Freehold Township K-8 School District are devising a plan to make up lost days at the Eisenhower Middle School after a power outage forced the building to close for three days.
The middle school on Burlington Road was closed on Feb. 27, Feb. 28 and March 1 after the main power system failed on Feb. 24. Staff members welcomed pupils back to class on March 2, according to district administrators.
In a letter to parents that was posted on the district’s website, Superintendent of Schools Ross Kasun said Eisenhower began to experience electrical problems in December and the Sal Electric Company was hired to inspect the power system. Although no specific problems were identified, preventative maintenance was performed and the situation appeared to be resolved.
The electrical problems reoccurred in February, which led district administrators to contact the Sal Electric Company about replacing a significant component of the school’s electrical system, according to Kasun.
While a plan was being developed to replace the component, Eisenhower sustained the Feb. 24 power outage and power could not be restored to the building.
With information that the component would arrive early on Feb. 28 and that repairs could be made in time for the school to be open on March 1, district administrators chose to close the building on Feb. 27-28.
After learning the component would not arrive until 7 p.m. Feb. 28, but that the Sal Electric Company, employees of Jersey Central Power & Light (JCPL) and electrical inspectors would coordinate efforts to repair the power system on March 1, district administrators decided to close Eisenhower on that date, according to Kasun.
District administrators considered using generators to power the school on March 1, but that did not allow the time necessary to repair the power system, according to the superintendent.
Consideration was also given to having the power system repaired over the weekend of March 4-5 and using generators to keep the school open prior to that, but administrators were not guaranteed the coordination of the Sal Electric Company, JCP&L and the electrical inspectors on March 4-5, and were concerned the school could not be opened by March 6.
During a meeting on Feb. 28, the Board of Education voted to approve an emergency contract with the Sal Electric Company to replace damaged electrical cables and switch gears at Eisenhower in order to restore power. The meeting’s agenda indicated the emergency contract was in an amount not to exceed $55,000.
In his letter, Kasun informed parents that administrators are working to come up with a plan to make up the lost school days.
