The City and Borough of Juneau has largely wrapped up shoveling on Sít’ Eetí Shaanáx — Glacier Valley Elementary School and began work on Mendenhall River Community School on Friday.
This comes after record snowfall caused the district to close schools multiple times this week, including all schools Friday.
Assistant City Manager Robert Barr said at a press conference Friday the rain from the current atmospheric river could increase the weight on roofs.
“We expect snow weights to increase because of the rain, until it is able to warm up sufficiently for that snow-ice melt to drain both through the roof drains, which we’re giving careful attention to, as well as off the roofs through through, you know, gutter and gutter style systems,” he said.
Juneau School District Superintendent Frank Hauser said shoveling on the roof of Mendenhall River Community School is expected to continue this weekend. He said CBJ engineering teams plan on inspecting schools through this weekend to make sure it’s safe to occupy them on Monday.
Hauser said schools will move to remote learning if there’s any need to be closed for snow removal next week. He said a wider number of factors will determine if another districtwide closure is needed.
“Though none of our schools are in the avalanche zones, it is something that, you know, could inhibit transportation,” Hauser said. “And so as we’re looking at that and looking at the road conditions, those are factors we take when we look at a more broad potential school closure.”
Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé and Harborview Elementary School sit just outside the Behrends Avenue slide path avalanche zone, which is included in the evacuation alert issued Friday.
Hauser encouraged families to make sure their contact information with schools are up to date, and to download the district’s app to receive the latest alerts.
