Damage assessed, Monday HHS classes cancelled

After Havre Public School's structural engineer assessed the damage of Thursday's collapse, Superintendent Andy Carlson said that classes at Havre High School would be cancelled on Monday to allow the district more time to plan for how to deal with safety concerns.

"We're not going to have school on Monday, " Carlson said. "There's so much to plan. You're dealing with 600 kids. We're not quite ready to make that call. We've got to secure this area. We're erring on the side of caution. "

The engineer determined that the high school's wood shop, metal shop, home economics room, library, computer lab and cafeteria were all of enough concern to prevent students from entering them.

The high school's kitchen was determined to be safe, so food will be prepared for all of the district's schools there, as usual.

The extra day Monday will be used by administration to figure out how to take care of the teachers and students who use the unsafe rooms.

Carlson said that lunches would be served in the hallways of the school, with tables being brought out for seating.

Today, a room on the school's second story is being converted into a makeshift computer lab.

The other rooms are a bit trickier to deal with, Carlson said.

Though the school's old concrete roof is holding well beneath the weight, the concern now is with possible leaking, particularly in the library. Carlson said that the library's Montana section was particularly worrisome, considering the amount of time and effort that has gone into assembling it.

After the school's insurance representative and structural engineer were able to look at the extent of the damage, Patrick Construction & Pipeline began clearing the snow off of the roof. They began with long-handled 3-foot wide scraping tools used from boom lifts beside the building. Today the removal is being done by tethered workers with shovels on the roof.

"They've got a large amount off of it, " Carlson said. "Not all of it, but I'm pretty impressed with what they've done. "

The roof was added to the high school in 1997 by the Springer Group Architects in Bozeman.

Lowell Springer, the group's lead architect and owner, said he heard of the collapse Thursday afternoon and had been trying to contact the district to offer any help he could provide.

"We will be there to help the school district however we can with the structural integrity, " Springer said.

After Havre Public School's structural engineer assessed the damage of Thursday's collapse, Superintendent Andy Carlson said that classes at Havre High School would be cancelled on Monday to allow the district more time to plan for how to deal with safety concerns.

"We're not going to have school on Monday, " Carlson said. "There's so much to plan. You're dealing with 600 kids. We're not quite ready to make that call. We've got to secure this area. We're erring on the side of caution. "

The engineer determined that the high school's wood shop, metal shop, home economics room, library, computer lab and cafeteria were all of enough concern to prevent students from entering them.

The high school's kitchen was determined to be safe, so food will be prepared for all of the district's schools there, as usual.

The extra day Monday will be used by administration to figure out how to take care of the teachers and students who use the unsafe rooms.

Carlson said that lunches would be served in the hallways of the school, with tables being brought out for seating.

Today, a room on the school's second story is being converted into a makeshift computer lab.

The other rooms are a bit trickier to deal with, Carlson said.

Though the school's old concrete roof is holding well beneath the weight, the concern now is with possible leaking, particularly in the library. Carlson said that the library's Montana section was particularly worrisome, considering the amount of time and effort that has gone into assembling it.

After the school's insurance representative and structural engineer were able to look at the extent of the damage, Patrick Construction & Pipeline began clearing the snow off of the roof. They began with long-handled 3-foot wide scraping tools used from boom lifts beside the building. Today the removal is being done by tethered workers with shovels on the roof.

"They've got a large amount off of it, " Carlson said. "Not all of it, but I'm pretty impressed with what they've done. "

The roof was added to the high school in 1997 by the Springer Group Architects in Bozeman.

Lowell Springer, the group's lead architect and owner, said he heard of the collapse Thursday afternoon and had been trying to contact the district to offer any help he could provide.

"We will be there to help the school district however we can with the structural integrity, " Springer said.