Just Days Before School Starts, Leicester Middle School Parents Aren't Sure Where Students Are Going

LEICESTER (CBS) - Parents of students at Leicester Middle School received an email from the district superintendent stating the middle school's backup generator failed inspection, and the district will not be able to use the building.

Superintendent Marilyn Tencza said her administration is working on plans to open the school in another location.

"This is less than 24 hours from the time we learned we couldn't use the building, so we are doing everything we can to make sure students start school on time," Tencza said.

Rochanna Buckley is a mom of an incoming eighth-grader and calls the issue frustrating not only for herself but for her daughter.

"They are anticipating coming back to school - yay we're finally back in school - only a week before to be told guess what school's not safe to inhabit so we're going to have to move you somewhere else," Buckley said. "I just want our kids to be in a safe environment and stay there instead of being trucked around here and there, everywhere except where they're supposed to be."

For three years, Jim Souza worked for the district as the director of facilities and said he isn't surprised.

"Unfortunately, being a small-town, money is not in abundance, but it seems to me they would always put preventive maintenance off to the side," Souza said.

The district said they're working on fixing the backup generator, and a maintenance truck was seen outside the middle school early Thursday afternoon.

"If We have to work Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday to make sure every student is back in school on Wednesday, we will do that, we are prepared to do that," Tencza said.

Tencza said if they can fix the generator before next Wednesday, students will be able to attend class inside the building.