MIDDLEBORO — A winter storm on Monday, Dec. 18 brought wind and rain to Middleboro, damaging the roof of Memorial Early Childhood Center’s gymnasium.

According to Middleboro Public Schools Superintendent Carolyn Lyons, the roof is in need of an “immediate, complete replacement.”

The storm caused leakage in the gymnasium and has “serious structural and safety concerns,” said Lyons at a Dec. 21 Middleboro School Committee meeting.

“It is important that we address this,” said Lyons. “We have already obtained an emergency waiver for some portion of the bid process with the attorney general’s office so we can get this going.”

Lyons said she wants to start the rebuilding project while students are on holiday break through Jan. 1. She predicts that the project will take approximately a month to complete.

A letter explaining the situation and what the next month might look like was sent out to homes of Memorial Early Childhood Center students, she said.

According to Lyons, the construction of the new roof will impact faculty parking and Pre-Kindergarten pick-up and drop-off, but not morning drop-off for Kindergarten students.

Lyons gave credit to Middleboro Public Schools Facilities Director Jim Hutchinson and Memorial Early Childhood Center Principal Jeremy Gobeil for taking swift action in planning for both reconstruction and changes to daily routines in the school.

“It is going to be covered by insurance,” said Lyons. “That’s possibly the best news of all because it [means we don’t have to pay for] this repair right now in the middle of this budget cycle.”