KINGWOOD — Crews are replacing roofs on Kingwood Elementary and Bruceton School.
The work is being paid for with a grant from the State School Building Authority (SBA), which in December announced it would give Preston County Schools $1,292,400 for the work.
Last week Preston Superintendent Steve Wotring told the board of education that work has started on both projects.
Because shingles on the roof of Kingwood contain asbestos, summer programs were moved from that school. Crews in protective gear removed the shingles last week.
After the work at Kingwood, it is being recommended that a third-party vendor be hired to do air quality tests at the school, because of the asbestos.
“It’s a very minimal amount,” of asbestos, Wotring said. Assistant Superintendent Brad Martin said the contractor said West Virginia code is more stringent on asbestos than some surrounding states.
Martin said Kingwood Elementary is expected to be completed before school starts, and Bruceton will be close to the beginning of school.
The SBA did not set a deadline in the contract on when the work must be complete, but the contractor, Tri-State Roofing, said it needs 30-40 dry days to do the Bruceton job and 20-30 dry days for Kingwood, Martin said.
