Eliza Llewellyn ’13
Staff Writer

In the wake of the recurrent blizzards of January, the Staples roof has remained safe and damage-free due to timely maintenance.

Sustaining no structural damage or leaks, the roof’s fortitude can be attributed to an efficient maintenance plan. Custodians shoveled much of the roof by hand. On two consecutive Saturdays, maintenance staff cleared out drains and snow drifts in order to prevent any collapses or other damage.

A 10 foot by 10 foot opening had to be cleared at each drain, a job that took from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

“We had a couple of nine foot snow drifts that took about nine hours to take off,” Acting Head Custodian, Horace Lewis said

Additionally, the school hired a professional roofer to clear some parts of the roof.

Principal John Dodig says was pleased with how the process went. “The people in charge of school maintenance know what they’re doing,” Dodig said.

Despite many roof problems reported throughout the state, including a roof collapse at Westport’s Cedar Brook Café and a temporary closing of Oxford Public Schools for a roof assessment, the Staples roof was unaffected by the many storms. The storms affected even agricultural structures and commercial office buildings. Governor Dan Malloy also urged home and business owners to clear roofs.

The undamaged structure is a testament to the school’s maintenance program and its dedicated staff. “We try to keep the building safe for you guys,” Lewis said.