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Evergreen officials say swift response limited damage after Emerald Elementary plumbing failure; waiver filed with OSPI
Summary
District staff credited early detection by a custodial employee and coordinated district response for limiting damage from a broken pipe at Emerald Elementary; the district submitted a waiver request to OSPI to avoid a required make-up day.
District leaders told the board Tuesday that a broken pipe at Emerald Elementary early last week prompted an immediate districtwide response and that the school reopened the next day.
Superintendent Dr. Maloney praised the district team and said the incident was discovered by Michelle Cox, the lead custodian. "Michelle Cox was the lead custodian who was the 1 that discovered it and immediately, contacted the right people to get that going," Maloney said, publicly recognizing Cox for her early morning response.
District staff credited maintenance and operations employees, building administrators and transportation staff for ensuring student safety and continuity. Jim Sullivan, a craftsman in structural maintenance, was singled out for locating the leak and shutting off water; Principal Darcy Mitchelson and Assistant Principal Lauren Collins coordinated school-level messaging. Senior director of communications Craig Birnbach described ParentSquare's multi-step contact process—initial text, then automated phone call for nonresponding families—as helpful in reaching families quickly.
The superintendent said the disruption affected a single school of the district's 38 and that the district had filed a waiver request with the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) asking that Emerald Elementary not be required to make up the missed day. "We believe that it will have a positive result that we will not have to have Emerald Elementary come back and make that up after the school year. So we're very we're 99% positive that that is going to occur," Maloney said.
Board members in public comments and later during board remarks praised the rapid multi-department response; one director who visited the site thanked staff for their work and confirmed limited instructional-material damage. District staff said they conducted an internal debrief the same afternoon to identify improvements.
The waiver request and related documentation were provided to the board; OSPI's decision and any effect on calendars will be reported to the board when received.
