J.P. Stevens High School closed Monday, other schools delayed due to flooding

EDISON, N.J., Dec. 18 (ZFJ) — J.P. Stevens High School was closed on Monday, Dec. 18, due to flooding and road closures while several other North Edison schools opened late.

John Adams Middle School, James Madison Primary School, James Madison Intermediate School, and FDR Preschool had delayed openings. JPS was also going to open delayed until officials decided to close it for the day. Other Edison schools continued their days on their regular schedules.

At around 09:00 EST, a ZFJ photographer observed a police road closure and school buses turning back due to flooding on Grove Avenue in front of JPS and beside Polansky Park.

A police road closure due to flooding is seen in front of J.P. Stevens High School and Polansky Park in Edison, N.J. ZFJ/Zoe Wu

JPS and all other schools were reopen on their regular schedule the next day, Tuesday. School district superintendent Dr. Edward Aldarelli, during the board of education action meeting on Dec. 19, expressed his thanks to everyone for their handling of the storm-induced closure.

“I’d like to thank all the members of the J.P. Stevens community: staff, students and parents alike. I know yesterday was a little bit hectic in relationship to the flooding that was in front of the school,” said Aldarelli. “Obviously not an ideal situation, and if I can control the timing of the weather, it would probably be even easier, but I do want to commend the building principal and our staff members that did a wonderful job of mitigating those circumstances to ensure that students were transported back home safely.”

The National Weather Service issued multiple flood warnings for New Jersey lasting from the morning to the afternoon. NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly reported that there were two to five inches of rain during this time period.

Zoe Wu contributed to this report.

Update 2023-12-19, 20:03 - Added superintendent’s statement during Dec. 19 board of education meeting.