Education

School generator wasn't ready for Sandy; still needs testing

REPORTER FILE PHOTO | The generator installed over the summer at the Shelter Island School is not yet operational.

One mystery left in the wake of Super Storm Sandy was why Shelter Island School didn’t resume classes on Wednesday despite the district’s purchase of a new generator this year.

Mystery solved: It’s not connected, according to Superintendent Michael Hynes.

Throughout the summer, construction efforts were in overdrive to get extensive work completed before classes began in September. But the generator hookup requires shutting down all power to the building and that operation has been scheduled for November 21, the day before Thanksgiving.

On Tuesday night, when Long Island Power Authority resumed power to  the school Dr. Hynes announced classes would resume Wednesday morning. But Wednesday, when power shorted out about 6:30 a.m. Dr. Hynes waited for about 30 minutes before concluding it wasn’t likely to to come back up quickly. He had no choice but to call off classes, he said.

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