The superintendent of the Pentucket Regional School District in Massachusetts has ordered schools to be closed until Feb. 23 due to roof concerns as New England braces for more snow.
Pentucket Regional School District Superintendent Jeff Mulqueen said officials are concerned with the amount of snow on the roofs. Excess snow weight can cause roof collapses, and Mulqueen said each roof covers about 100,000 square feet and has a 30-pound-per-square foot capacity.
The district's scheduled winter recess next week gives it an "added cushion of time" to clear snow by the time classes are scheduled to resume Feb. 23, according to Mulqueen.
Mulqueen wrote "That is a lot of snow to remove and a lot of snow to move on the ground." He adds that the safest decision was to remove the snow while students and staff are on break.
