When it rains it pours and that includes a barrage of extra costs from leaky roofs at schools and buildings throughout Apache Junction Unified School District.

Aging roofs in the culinary building, book store, cafeteria and Performing Arts Center at Apache Junction High School, and the string-instrument storage room, room 406, 700 building and maintenance room at Cactus Canyon Junior High all need immediate repair.

The maintenance staff has been applying sealant as a temporary fix until a more permanent solution can be found. The district has spent about $4,500 on roof coating so far this year.

The estimated ages of the buildings that have suffered rain damage include:

• AJHS PAC built in 1990.
• AJHS Culinary built in 1974.
• AJHS Bookstore built in 1974.
• CCJH instrument storage built in 1982.
• CCJH 700 building built in 2004.

Two district projects were approved for funding by the Arizona School Facilities Board at its meeting on Wednesday, Dec. 10.

A grant for $10,453 was awarded to replace two rooms of damaged carpeting at the AJHS and $1,247 was awarded for the replacement of two water heaters at Desert Vista Elementary.

AJUSD Facilities Director Larry Hill was in attendance at the meeting along with SFB liaison Carlos Monreal. Mr. Monreal will be at the district next week to assess additional needs and to assist in the application process. The district is working on a possible SFB grant to repair the roof at Peralta Trail Elementary School. Estimates for the project range from $6,090 to $132,346.

For more information about AJUSD or its schools or departments, go to ajusd.org.

Editor's note: Sally Marks is AJPD's public relations specialist.