Haverford board approves immediate middle‑school roof replacement after active leaks shut classroom

The Haverford Township School District board voted June 26 to proceed with an immediate roof replacement for a roughly 4,000‑square‑foot section of the middle school roof above the school’s “coral” room after repeated leaks forced the space out of service.

Ken Matthews, the owner’s‑representative present for CB Development Services Inc., described the work as a full tear‑off for that section and called it necessary because “this roof is just in horrible shape” and the leak had made the classroom unusable. The board approved a contract not to exceed $259,000 to complete the first phase.

Board members and staff said the coral room’s active leaking posed an operational problem that required prompt action. A consultant presented that the full roof covers roughly 120,000 square feet and estimated a phased complete reroof would likely cost between $2.5 million and $4 million and could extend over two to four years because much of the work must occur during summer breaks.

Several members questioned timing and cost. Staff said contingency and allowance funds remain and that contractors are in high demand, which makes scheduling difficult; they said they hope to complete the initial section by the end of the summer but may extend some punch‑list items into September. “We’re pushing to get it done by the end of the summer,” the representative said.

The board approved the motion by voice vote. Staff said they will solicit one additional vendor price to confirm the estimate and will update the board on scheduling and next phases. The decision leaves open a multi‑year plan to phase the rest of the roof, with staff committed to prioritizing the worst areas first.