Winters Elementary School to reopen next week

PAWTUCKET, R.I. (WJAR) — Winters Elementary School in Pawtucket will officially reopen Monday after flooding closed the building for 10 school days.

Students were on virtual learning for two full weeks of school while restoration crews repaired water damage.

Administrators said a heating coil failure caused a pipe to burst during the cold snap the region experienced in the beginning of February.

In a previous interview with NBC 10 News, acting Superintendent Lisa Benedetti-Ramzi said 23 rooms were impacted.

In a letter to families on Thursday, Benedetti-Ramzi wrote, "The building has been thoroughly cleaned and largely restored to pre-water damage conditions."

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Benedetti-Ramzi said the building underwent various moisture and air quality tests and met the requirements to reopen the building.

All but three of the 23 impacted rooms will be ready for use on Monday, according to Benedetti-Ramzi. On Friday, NBC 10 News learned those three classrooms impact 50 students in third through fifth grade.

"Two of the classrooms will be ready in a week, and the other will be ready in about two months," said Assistant Superintendent Lee Rabbitt. "Every inch of this building has been looked over. It's in absolutely fantastic shape and we are excited to welcome kids back."

The students and faculty of those rooms will learn in two auxiliary classrooms and a faculty room for the time being.

The school opened its doors for the first time in September, after a problem with the backup battery for the fire alarm delayed the first day of school. Two weeks later, a power outage closed the building for two days.

Students have been on school vacation for the past week.