Update: Red Hook High School remediation escalated following air quality results
Posted Date: 05/29/26 (05:00 PM)
UPDATE Thursday afternoon:
Based on the results of air quality testing at Red Hook High School returned Thursday, we are escalating the scope of building remediation as we wait for a deeper analysis of the samples.
The samples, which were taken Tuesday, each contained the presence of soot and char, indicating further remediation is required before the building can be reopened to staff and students.
In addition to assessment of which areas of the building must be further remediated, the district is beginning the process of replacing ceiling tiles throughout the building.
Continued analysis of the existing air samples is already underway, which will provide a greater understanding of the air quality.
High School students can expect to continue virtual learning on Friday as previously announced, and the district will provide further information regarding the status of instruction on Monday in the near future.
The measures in place to support students during this period of virtual instruction will continue until we are able to return to the classroom:
- Counselors remain stationed at LAMS for any student in need of support. Students should message their counselor on Teams to set up a time to visit; students can also stop by without an appointment and see a counselor at their earliest availability.
- All high school students can pick up school lunches at the Mill Road Elementary PK-2 parking area from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. each day we are in virtual learning.
- Bus service for all students engaging in Dutchess BOCES programs will run as scheduled on days in which we are in virtual learning. Students who attend BOCES for half-day sessions need to spend the balance of their day at LAMS if they do not have their own transportation to or from home in the middle of the day.
- Some planned field trips have been able to continue despite the building being closed. Remember to talk with your individual teacher to discuss any planned trips.
UPDATE Wednesday afternoon:
We are expecting the results of air quality testing inside Red Hook High School on Thursday, an important step in our work to assess the building.
Air samples were taken at various spots around the building on Tuesday, following the substantial completion of remediation following Friday’s fire. Remediation in the bathroom areas most directly impacted by the fire and sealed from the rest of the building remains.
The air samples will indicate how soon cleaning can be completed, which items left in the building may be salvageable and when we would be able to assess the school building.
We thank students, families and staff for their patience as we engage in virtual learning. This has been an unexpected set of challenges in a variety of areas, and our community has handled it with poise and professionalism.
We have been in regular contact with the Red Hook Police Department and are aware the department has identified a student it believes created a social media account that contained a post referencing Friday’s fire, of which the district became aware after the incident.
With any reported violation of our Code of Conduct, the district conducts its own investigations, and enforces the Code of Conduct as appropriate. We thank the Red Hook Police Department for its continued investigation into Friday’s fire and any activities that may surround it.
We look forward to providing additional updates regarding the air quality testing and the timeline for assessing the building when the information is available. Thank you all once again and we look forward to another productive day of virtual instruction Thursday.
UPDATE Tuesday afternoon:
Red Hook High School will remain in virtual instruction for Thursday, June 4 and Friday, June 5, as we continue to work toward reopening the building. Academic support will be available at Linden Avenue Middle School’s Innovation Lab in the afternoons and evenings beginning today.
While the cleanup of the building is substantially complete, results from air quality and HVAC testing conducted today are still necessary to ensure conditions are suitable for reopening the school. The results, which will also shed light on which items left in the building may be salvageable, are expected later this week.
We thank students, families and staff for a successful relaunch of virtual learning this morning which, with few exceptions, has been going smoothly throughout the day.
Our Night School is another opportunity to supplement that experience with live interaction. The academic support sessions will be held from 2:40-8:40 p.m. today, 2:40-5:40 p.m. Wednesday and 2:40-8:40 p.m. Thursday this week at LAMS’ Innovation Lab. A certified teacher will be available to offer academic support and it’s open to anybody on a drop-in basis.
Students who prefer to learn in a classroom atmosphere, or those who lack reliable internet access at home, are also invited to take part in virtual learning during the school day from LAMS’ Innovation Lab.
Remember also, Bus service for all students engaging in Dutchess BOCES programs will run as scheduled on days in which we are in virtual learning. Students who attend BOCES for half-day sessions need to spend the balance of their day at LAMS if they do not have their own transportation to or from home in the middle of the day.
And, high school students can pick up school lunches at the Mill Road Elementary PK-2 parking area from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. each day we are in virtual learning.
We appreciate the flexibility of our staff at both the high and middle schools as we continue navigating this unexpected set of challenges, as well as the dedication of our students and families. We will continue to make every effort to ensure this week’s instruction is as smooth and rewarding as possible as we work toward returning to the high school building.
UPDATE Monday afternoon:
While crews continued the process of remediating Red Hook High School Monday, teachers and staff prepared for the school’s students to begin virtual learning Tuesday.
District and building leadership continue to evaluate if virtual learning will be extended beyond Wednesday. While much of the building has been cleaned of soot resulting from Friday’s fire, some classrooms and lockers on the second floor still need to be remediated. An air quality test of different parts of the building is scheduled for Tuesday.
As cleaning crews enter each space, they are carefully evaluating personal items belonging to students and staff. So far, we have been able to return essential items like laptops, phones, keys, IDs and medical supplies to those who have requested it. However, due to the nature and severity of the smoke that spread throughout much of the building, some personal items may not be salvageable. The district is working with the cleaners to evaluate these items and will provide more information in a future communication.
Other updates:
- The districtwide Jazz Festival scheduled for Tuesday at the high school’s Performing Arts Center has been postponed. The music department is seeking a reschedule date and it will be communicated when it is solidified.
- Bus service for all students engaging in Dutchess BOCES programs will run as scheduled on days in which we are in virtual learning.
- Students who have field trips planned should contact their teachers directly to discuss their status.
- Food distribution began today at Mill Road Elementary. All high school students can pick up school lunches at the school’s PK-2 parking area from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. each day we are in virtual learning.
- Counselors are stationed at Linden Avenue Middle School for any student in need of support. Students should message their counselor on Teams to set up a time to visit; students can also stop by without an appointment and see a counselor at their earliest availability.
A dedicated space is also set up at Linden Avenue Middle School for students who are without reliable internet access or simply prefer to learn in a school environment.
UPDATE Sunday Evening:
Red Hook High School will engage in virtual learning Tuesday and Wednesday as the building continues to be thoroughly remediated following Friday’s fire.
Classes will remain cancelled Monday, as previously announced, and the building remains closed as a third-party company continues a thorough cleaning process that began immediately Friday evening, made necessary by the spread of smoke.
The company is utilizing roughly 50 HEPA air scrubber machines with a staff of roughly 50 people each day to clean all surfaces, items, lockers, vents and other areas. While much has already been done – as of Sunday morning, roughly 75% of all classrooms had been remediated – more cleaning, inspection and testing is needed before the building can be reopened.
The Red Hook Police Department this morning posted an update regarding the investigation of the fire. You can read the post on its Facebook page. We thank the department for its support of our district, its swift response to this incident and the steps it has taken that led to the arrest Saturday afternoon.
This is an unfortunate situation and we will be enforcing our Code of Conduct in regard to student behavior.
We want to extend our gratitude to a number of parties:
- We again thank the Red Hook police and fire departments, as well as the fire departments from Tivoli, Germantown and Rhinebeck for their invaluable assistance.
- We want to thank Village Pizza for feeding firefighters, police officers and our staff Friday by donating 25 pizzas.
- We thank our families and students for their understanding and flexibility as we navigate this situation.
Friday was a day of unexpected challenges, and our staff at the high school and beyond, as well as our students, met the moment. Our evacuation of the high school was swift and orderly, and we thank students for approaching the process appropriately. Many staff members played important roles in ensuring student safety while clearing the way for emergency responders to serve their roles. We want to extend a special thank you acknowledging their efforts, and for their work in the coming days making sure this week will go as smooth as possible.
While the high school is closed, school lunches will continue to be made available to families and transportation to Dutchess BOCES will be made available for students who regularly attend its programs on Tuesday and Wednesday. Space will also be designated for students who do not have internet access in their homes. Details of these programs are being communicated to families directly.
ORIGINAL POST:
Red Hook High School will be closed Monday as the building is extensively cleaned following Friday’s fire.
The district has contracted with a company to clean most surfaces and items within the school, which were impacted by smoke that circulated throughout most of the building. Updates regarding when the building may be reopened and the status of Monday's planned Senior Awards ceremony will be provided in the coming days.
Families and faculty have been sent instructions for how essential items can be retrieved during a designated window from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Friday.
The fire remains under investigation. It started in the first-floor boys bathroom off the school’s main hallway across from the library.
The fire alarm went off in the building at 10:22 a.m., triggering an evacuation of all personnel and students. An on-site Red Hook Police Department School Resource Officer responded immediately. First responder agencies arrived on the scene by 10:30, encountering smoke just beyond the main lobby. The fire was ruled under control by 10:45 a.m., though crews remained at the school ventilating smoke and evaluating the building until roughly 1 p.m.
The structural damage caused by the fire was contained to the bathroom’s two stalls and ceiling above the stalls. However, smoke circulated throughout the hallway and through the ventilation system to the second floor, necessitating the remediation of surfaces and items.
We thank the Red Hook, Tivoli, Germantown and Rhinebeck fire departments, as well as the Red Hook Police Department, for responding to the school and for their assistance.
After leaving the building, students went to Linden Avenue Middle School, from which they were dismissed at 11:15 a.m. Staff was allowed to return to the building to collect belongings shortly after 1 p.m., but the building remains closed.
We thank families and staff at both the high and middle schools for their patience and flexibility as we address this situation. We will continue to communicate updates and details as they become available.