VERGENNES — Vergennes Union High School fully reopened on Wednesday after a major steam leak in its classroom wing on the Friday after Thanksgiving damaged several rooms and compromised air quality.
VUHS and Addison Northwest Supervisory Union officials spread the word over the weekend that the school would be closed on Monday. On Monday, they announced that repairs would be ongoing and classes would not be held, although teachers and other employees returned to work and sports practices resumed.
As well as physical damage to the heating system and ceilings, officials said they were concerned about excessive humidity and other air quality issues on Monday and Tuesday.   
In a Monday post at the anwsu.org website announcing Tuesday’s cancellation of classes, ANwSU Superintendent JoAn Canning said, “Today, we are conducting our air quality assessment and also planning some classroom re-locations and moving of materials, equipment, etc., which is taking longer than expected,” adding, “Therefore, we must have another day to do this work.”  
Students with out-of-district placements, such as the Hannaford Career Center in Middlebury, were not provided transportation, but were encouraged to attend if they could arrange their own transportation.
On Wednesday, Canning said school officials were not even close in determining the costs associated with the steam pipe issue, but that insurance would cover most of it.
“Our insurance adjuster and boiler company are in the process of examining the situation,” she said in an email to the Independent. “We  have good coverage with our insurance company and will have a small deductible to cover the cost.”