Amherst Regional Middle School
Health & Safety Risks from the Leaking Roof

Background

Since at least 2016 there have been potential plans to repair, replace, and remediate damage caused by the frequent leaking from the decades old roof on the Middle School at 170 Chestnut Street. These plans have been delayed due to purported budget constraints. In December 2024 it was publicly reported that a part of the ceiling fell but did not hit anyone. On March 14, 2025 the Superintendent informed parents that “a student reported that something fell from an open ceiling area that was missing a tile. The student sustained a minor injury…”.

Some Highlights

  •  On September 23, 2025 the Regional School Committee voted to approve funding that would be partially reimbursed from a state grant, if approved. No plan has been publicly shared for fixing the leaking auditorium roof, which is not covered by the existing “Amherst-Pelham Regional Middle School Roof Replacement Project“, which will replace the rest of the roof in Summer 2026.
  • The executive summary of that project’s building survey and report is available here. This report indicates that the auditorium roof’s fifteen year warranty expired on 9/21/2009, making the auditorium roof well within the 20 year age requirement to benefit from the Massachusetts Building Authority Accelerated Repair Program, like the rest of the school. The next grant cycle opens in January 2027 and work would not occur until summer 2028, at the earliest, if funded.
  • The Appendix A hazardous material report (positive for external asbestos and lead on the auditorium roof and gutters) is here. The contractor presentation is here. 
  • On February 2, 2026, as required by the town, the Amherst Regional School Committee requested that the Town of Amherst pay for the cost of the auditorium roof to be replaced with the rest of the school’s roof in Summer 2026.
  • In September 2025 the town asked for $1 million in taxpayer money to fix its own leaky Town Hall roof with those nice fancy red slate tiles!  Listen to the Town Facilities Director explain how it is much more expensive to replace a building’s roof in phases than all at once, at minute marker 1:49:00.
  • Many parents, teachers, and students want a complete solution in 2026 even if the expenses are not covered by the state grant. This is a long known problem. The Town Manager could make an order for appropriations outside the budget. This has recently been done for the high school track. Or some of the millions of dollars in surplus being saved for capital projects could be used.