Photos courtesy of the Gowanda Central School District Pictured is the aftermath of a hail storm that struck Gowanda earlier this year. The Gowanda Central School District’s facilities were damaged by large pieces of hail striking its buildings and grounds.

GOWANDA — More than a month after a severe hail storm hit Gowanda, School Superintendent Dr. Robert Anderson detailed the damage sustained by the district.

Anderson told the Board of Education at a recent meeting that while the damage was not catastrophic, it was “really significant.” Anderson said roofs and walls did not collapse, but soft metal portions of the roofs and siding of the buildings “look like someone took a shotgun to it.”

The district has been in contact with architects, construction management, vendors, and insurance to remedy the issues. Anderson said the district will submit “a laundry list” for insurance claims. Anderson said the damage could be as high as $20 million in totality.

It is unclear at this point just how severely damaged some of the facilities are. Business Administrator Barb Smith said the damage is well beyond $1 million already, even before many of the major costs are determined. A total of 34 vehicles were impacted, and many of the district’s HVAC units were significantly damaged.

The district will be submitting six separate emergency capital projects – one for each of the district’s facilities. The district will seek state aid on the amount the district owes after the insurance covers its share.

“This, again, speaks to why we have cash, why we have fund balance and why we have reserves,” Smith said.

In better news from the district, the Gowanda School Pool is on track to be re-opened in the next several months, according to Dr. Anderson. Tiling has been delivered and the framework is done.

Also of note, a student transportation agreement involving the Carrier Educational Center in Angola from May 14 through June 30 was approved in the amount of $882 per day. A facility use agreement between the district and Right At School, LLC was also approved.

The district recently accepted a donation of $2,533 from the Gowanda Sports Booster Club to benefit the Gowanda Track and Field program, as well as $500 from Ronald and Dianna Stelley to benefit the Gowanda Trap Team.

The Trap Team was approved to attend the State Tournament in Cicero on June 6-7. A field trip to the My Brother’s Keeper Symposium in Albany from May 20-21 was also approved. Looking ahead to 2028, a 12-day field trip by the Travel Club in mid-April to Ireland and Scotland was also approved. The Board reserves the right to cancel any field trip if student health and safety become a concern.

The district also established the Mark A. Ondus Scholarship Award for one male and one female student looking to pursue a career in criminal justice. The scholarships will be funded by an annual golf tournament.

The Board passed a resolution declaring its 2026-27 Capital Outlay Project as a Type II action with no significant environmental impact. The project consists of flooring upgrades at Gowanda Elementary School at a cost not to exceed $100,000. The district’s 2025-25 policy audit was Board-approved, as well.

The Board also passed a resolution approving the tentative 2026-2027 BOCES Administrative Budget in the amount of $4,204,103. The Board cast its votes for incumbent members Thomas DeJoe, David Lowrey, Christine Schnars, Jeff Chase, and Kimberly Higgins to serve three-year terms on the Erie II BOCES Board.

A resolution to approve a unanimous joint agreement with Erie II BOCES pertaining to its Capital Project was also approved. The agreement requires approval by the Board of Education for each component school district.

The next meeting of the Gowanda Board of Education will be on Wednesday, May 27.