Power is out in most of the main building today at Northwood School, including in the dining room room, East and West dorms, administrative offices and the nurse’s office. The power outage has also shut down the school’s wireless internet network and all telephone land lines. The outage began at 8:00am and is expected to last until dinner.
The power is being shut off in order to install a backup generator that will provide electricity to much of the school during unplanned power outages.
Electricians working on the transformer outside the Hanke Ski Building. (Photo: Mirror staff)
Assistant Headmaster Mr. Tom Broderick announced the power outage in an email to the school community yesterday:
Tomorrow, Thursday, there will be a scheduled power outage to prep for the installation of one of the two generators the school has purchased. The outage will begin around 8 am and last until dinner.
The following areas will be affected: the living room, dining room, kitchen, administrative offices, nurses’ office, auditorium, lecture hall, library/learning center, old classroom wing, day student areas, field house, fitness center and dorm rooms / faculty apartments on 2nd east. The entire school will lose power to the servers, the internet and phone systems.
Buildings not listed above (Science, Academic, Berg, etc.) will have power but will not have internet or phone.
Classes will be held as usual, and meals will be served. Emergency phone calls only should be made to the AOC (Administrator on call) cell phone at 518-524-0745.
Thank you for your patience and understanding.
Nurse P check’s a student’s temp in the living room. (Photo: Mirror staff)
The power outage hits during a major campus-wide outbreak of gastroenteritis or “stomach bug,” which has affected nearly a third of the school community. The nursing staff is doing its best without power, walking around the school with supplies in a tote bag.
Many classes have been cancelled because of faculty illness, but all other classes will be held today, despite the lack of power. Robotics and music classes will be totally without power, while all other classes will have electricity, but not internet.
Director of Food Service Colin Miller. (Photo: Mirror staff)
The kitchen has a small backup generator that powers the school’s freezers and refrigerators as well as temporary lights. Food Service director Colin Miller says the kitchen staff is using a gas grill to make a chicken chili for lunch, which will also include a deli and salad bar. Lunch will be served with disposable plates and flatware because the dishwasher is out of service in the power outage.
Painting on Second East. (Photo: Mirror staff)
Renovations on Second East continue during the power outage. The construction crew has set up temporary lights powered by the kitchen’s generator. They plan to begin painting the hallway today.
Source: weather.com
Lake Placid weather is mild today, after a long stretch of subzero temps. The building’s electric heating system will be out of service all day, but interior spaces should not get dangerously cold, provided power is restored as planned.
