I have started teaching after school tutoring 3 days a week to help a few of my students make more progress in reading and math before they have to take their Standards of Learning or SOL tests in May. This has been going pretty well since I only have 4 students currently due to the tutoring program through SES funding. Last week apparently my students thought they would have a little fun. We had our normal session on Thursday and left to load the buses at 4:30 like every day. This particular day I stopped in the library with my grade level colleagues to pick out some books for read aloud the following week and books for my students to read during centers. So I did come back to my classroom for almost 45 minutes since girls always get to talking. When I opened my door I heard a sound and as I turned on the light I found there was WATER EVERYWHERE!! I immediately screamed for my colleagues who came running. We discovered the sink in the room had been left running and overflowed onto the floor. We found that one of my students had stuffed a paper towel down into the drain of the sink and flipped it on as we left for the buses. Since the water had been running for 45 minutes it was literally everywhere.
Due to the uneven floor from settling over time and dirt on the floor due to 3rd graders who can't stay out of it, the water ran in a few weird patterns but it was spread throughout most of the floor. As we were cleaning up we also discovered the drawers next to the sink were completely full of water as the water ran down the front of the sink, it first filled the drawers and then flowed onto the floor. We called for maintenance and our assistant principal to see what had happened and then began cleaning up as well as we could with only paper towels. Of course no student will confess and what one says against another is only hearsay. Luckily all that was lost was some construction paper and foam and some papers that students left laying on the floor.
Since the incident I have had the sink and attached water fountain turned off in my classroom. Students can use the sinks in the restroom to wash hands and fill water bottles, they can also get drinks when using the restroom. I will not risk having my room flooded again because you never know what could be ruined next time. Has anyone ever experienced this before? If so how did you handle the situation?
Some pictures to enjoy
This is all the way up front in the room and the sink is in the opposite back corner
Front carpet was soaked
Mailboxes were on the same counter so they are a little warped
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