Central Regional Schools Make it Through Hurricane Unscathed, Super Says

Hurricane Irene left billions of dollars of damage in her wake, however, none on the Central Regional campus.

Superintendent of Schools Triantafillos “Tom’’ Parlapanides said Tuesday that except for some minor damage to “a couple of ceiling tiles’’ at the high school the district escaped the storm “pretty much unscathed.’’

“The kids need to show up Tuesday ready to learn because there is nothing that will keep us from opening on time,’’ Parlapanides said. “We made sure everything was buttoned up before the storm and we worked closely with the police department and the Department of Emergency Management in advance of the storm. We even began preparing our gymnasium for use as an evacuation center.’’

Parlapanides said some water entered the high school where a roofing project was being finished.

“The metal facing need to complete the project didn’t arrive until Tuesday, so it was just bad timing,’’ he said.

Parlapanides said there was no damage at the middle school, the bus depot or with the newly installed solar panels.

“We had some minor flooding at the bus yard and as far as I know, there was no damage to the solar panels at all,’’ he said. “We lucked out.’’

All current projects underway in the district are nearing completion, he said.

Parlapanides said the middle school was connected to the municipal water system last Friday and the high school will be linked Friday; the parental drop-off lane will be paved Wednesday and striped Thursday and Friday in time for the first day of school.

The on-going window replacement project will continue through September. Parlapanides said three classrooms per day will be emptied at the high school so workers can install new, energy-efficient windows.

“The windows should be completed by Oct. 1, just in time for the colder weather,’’ Parlapanides said.