What Is Going On at the East Fairhaven School?

With the first day of school less than a week away for a vast majority of students here in the Commonwealth, it's safe to say there has never been a school year that has been met with more questions or more anxiety. It's no surprise that a good number of parents of school aged children are also dealing with a lot of feelings as schools begin to open.

This is probably why so many have been questioning the sight of something new that has appeared in recent weeks at the East Fairhaven School and the Leroy Wood School in Fairhaven.

If you are someone that pays attention, you may have seen them propped up on the roof of both of the schools. Yellow protective barriers are now positioned at the edge of the rooftops of both of the twin sister schools.

Some observers have been wondering why they are there. According to Fairhaven School Superintendent Dr. Robert Baldwin, some have wondered if the rooftops of the schools are going to serve as outdoor classrooms. While the idea of outdoor classrooms have become more popular in the age of COVID-19, Dr. Baldwin has assured us that children will not be allowed on the roof.

Others have wondered if the rooftop space will act as an outdoor teacher's lounge. Again, while space is certainly at a premium during COVID-19, Fairhaven elementary teachers will not be spending their planning time lounging on a rooftop café above the school.

The answer is much more practical than intriguing: both of Fairhaven's elementary schools are using their rooftops as a source of energy. They are installing solar panels. The yellow stanchions are protecting the solar workers are they are installed.