NORTHBOROUGH – The Public Schools of Northborough is hoping Zeh Elementary School’s roof will soon be replaced with the help of the Massachusetts School Building Authority’s accelerated repair program.
According to Superintendent Greg Martineau, the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) offers the accelerated repair program, which helps school districts focus on repairs for roofs and windows.
The authority paused the repair program last year due to economic conditions, but it has since reinitiated the program, Martineau said during the Feb. 7 Northborough School Committee meeting.
The school district was interested in submitting a statement of interest for Zeh’s roof. Assistant Superintendent of Operations Keith Lavoie said Zeh’s roof has been on the capital budget for a while. According to the draft statement of interest, the roof replacement project is the priority for fiscal 2027.
Lavoie said the roof was inspected again to “validate some concerns that existed, and they are unchanged.”
Zeh was constructed in 1950 and renovated in 1998, which is when the roof was replaced completely.
According to the statement of interest, the roof is a combination of sections of a shingled roof and a ballasted EPDM membrane flat roof. A report from the Garland Company calls for replacing both the membrane and shingled roof, which is what the district is pursuing.
The membrane section of the roof has “significant failures,” according to the statement, including punctures; drainage concerns; and flashing peeling away from the side of the building.
As for the shingled roof, there are missing shingles and the flashing is losing its adherence.
According to the statement, the school district has “kept pace” with issues regarding leaking, and staff have repaired sections where the flashing was peeling away. Staff also frequently inspect the roof for punctures.
“The combination of factors leads the district to conclude that a full roof replacement is warranted,” the statement read.
According to Lavoie, if Zeh’s roof is accepted, the school district would continue to explore whether a solar array could be added to the school – only if the roof replacement occurred. A solar project at Zeh was one of seven projects proposed during a combined School Committee meeting in December.
“The idea is that because we have done that prework in getting ourselves in the queue for a solar project, perhaps MSBA would look finely upon our statement of interest,” said Lavoie.
The Northborough School Committee and Select Board voted to submit the statement of interest.
