Altoona City Crossing Guard Jawn Lenning stops traffic on Seventh Avenue during Altoona Area Junior High School dismissal on Monday afternoon. The district relocated the junior high students and staff to the high school for the school day after the junior high building experienced a significant break to its sprinkler system. Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski

Altoona Area Junior High School students will not report to school today, Tuesday, Feb. 10, due to flooding caused by a water break. While those students will have an asynchronous remote learning day, all other students should report to school as regularly scheduled.

The water break Monday in the Junior High School’s sprinkler system caused extensive flooding throughout the first floor of the main academic building, said Paula Foreman, the district’s community relations director.

The break occurred about 8:45 a.m., she said, noting students and staff were operating on a two-hour delay Monday due to the weather.

When students arrived for school, they were rerouted to the Altoona Area High School, from where they were dismissed at the end of the day, Foreman said.

“There was a break with the sprinkler system and it was contained to the academic building, but it’s throughout that whole building,” Foreman said, adding firefighters, emergency management services and district maintenance staff were at the scene addressing the issue throughout the day.

The district sent an email to alert the students’ families about the situation, she said.

The junior high school experienced significant damage that will require immediate cleanup and repair, according to an update at 5:30 p.m.

Due to the situation, junior high students will have an asynchronous remote learning day today, Feb. 10. Students should check their Google Classrooms for asynchronous work to complete, an update from the district states.

Students should complete the Attendance Google Form during first period to check in for the day. Teachers will be available by email for instructional support and questions, according to information provided by Foreman.

A decision will be made about the rest of the week after officials get more information about the cleanup and repairs.

Foreman said all junior high students participating in the Junior High School County Chorus, which was moved to the high school, should report to the high school upon arrival. The scheduled concert will be held at the high school this evening. All other after school practices, games and activities will proceed as scheduled unless notified otherwise.

School officials will update students’ families with the mode of instruction plan for Wednesday and Thursday by midday today, Feb. 10, Foreman said.

Mirror Staff Writer Matt Churella is at 814-946-7520.