BERNE — If the Gilboa Dam in the Schoharie Valley breaks, the Berne-Knox-Westerlo school could become a temporary shelter for students fleeing the flood.

At a meeting on Monday, Jan. 23, the school board discussed the possibility of housing students for a day from the Middleburgh and Schoharie school districts in case of a flood.

In October, the dam on the Schoharie Creek in Schoharie County failed a safety inspection, worrying Capital Region residents as far away as Schenectady. If the dam fails, the Schoharie Reservoir would empty into the surrounding area and send a 30-foot surge down the creek and the Mohawk River. The dam, which is owned by the New York City Department of Environmental Protection, is undergoing emergency repairs.

On Monday, Gregory Diefenbach, BKW’s business administrator, reported to the board that the district’s health and safety committee has met with representatives of the Middleburgh and Schoharie districts.

If the dam bursts, the Schoharie Valley districts could bring their students to BKW, on high ground in the Helderbergs, Diefenbach said. Middleburgh is planning on BKW, while Schoharie is leaning toward bringing its students to schools in the larger Guilderland district, he said.
"The actual procedures are still being drafted," Diefenbach said.
Diefenbach said that the school would act as a "reunification point," where parents would pick up their children.

If the catastrophe occurs, Middleburgh would give BKW four hours’ notice before busing in the students. That would give BKW time to send its students home in an early dismissal, said Superintendent Steven Schrade.
"I feel truly confident that we have a good plan," Diefenbach said. "Basically, bottom line, it’s one school district trying to help another school district out."

Other business

In other business at the Jan. 23 meeting, the Berne-Knox-Westerlo School Board:

—Heard a report on the results of the state-required survey of building condition. Diefenbach said the district’s engineer and architect declared the district office and the Westerlo school satisfactory and the elementary and high school unsatisfactory.

The problem, Diefenbach said, is that the fire alarm systems aren’t up to the latest building code. They are loud enough to warn anyone in the building, he said, but they lack sensors to indicate if a strobe light or alarm is out.
"Before you get anything else on your wish list, this is number one," Diefenbach said.

He estimated it would cost at least $10,000 for the systems to meet regulations;

—Continued a discussion on the valedictorian and salutatorian. The district has, for several months, been considering eliminating the honors.

High school Principal Mary Petrilli reported that all the suburban districts in the area have replaced valedictorian and salutatorian honors with the recognition of a group of top students. There has been no community backlash in those districts, Petrilli said.

Also, she said, most colleges don’t give scholarships to students solely for being valedictorian or salutatorian.

The board is going to consider Petrilli’s report and discuss the matter at the next meeting. Board member Joan Adriance said the board should make a decision soon.