North Side School in East Williston will open on time despite crash that damaged library, district says

An East Williston elementary school will open as scheduled next month despite a crash Sunday evening in which a Jeep plowed into the building's library, according to a district spokesperson. 

District officials are continuing to assess the damage to the North Side School but the spokesperson said it is not expected to impact students' first day back to school on Aug. 31. The building was unoccupied at the time of the crash.

The crash occurred around 6:15 p.m., when a 77-year-old motorist driving a 2019 Jeep suffered a medical episode, police said. He was taken to a hospital for an evaluation. Police did not release further updates on his condition Monday.

Superintendent Danielle Gately said, "We remain incredibly grateful that this happened during the summer, when our building was unoccupied, and that no one was injured. Our thoughts are also with the driver, and everyone affected by this incident."

Gately noted ongoing litigation has halted plans to construct fencing around the perimeter of the school.

The district had proposed building a 6-foot-tall fence, which is two feet taller than village code allows.

In 2019, a small group of residents sued the district, claiming it required a village permit. The district has maintained the state permit it received was enough.

Gately noted the district's original plans included a stone retaining wall that was dropped due "to concerns raised by the Village."

She acknowledged that the proposed fencing would not have prevented the crash but said the incident "was a stark reminder of how quickly unexpected events can occur."

Attorneys for the plaintiffs could not immediately be reached for comment Monday.

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