How Weather Shield Stopped 10+ Years of Roof Leaks at Weston Elementary School
If you’re managing an aging school building with a roof that just won’t stop leaking, you know how frustrating—and expensive—it can be. That’s exactly where Kearsley Community Schools found themselves. For more than a decade, Weston Elementary School in Genesee County, Michigan, had dealt with chronic roof leaks. Ceiling tiles were missing for ten years. Teachers had come to expect drips and water damage as the norm.
At Weather Shield Roofing Systems™, we’ve been helping schools and businesses protect their buildings and budgets for over 45 years. When Kearsley Schools reached out, we saw more than just a leaking roof—we saw an opportunity to help a school district rethink how they manage their roofing investments.
Let’s walk through what happened at Weston Elementary and how a service-first, strategic approach saved them years of frustration and significant capital expense.
Why Was Weston Elementary Leaking for Over a Decade?
This is a question we hear all the time: Why hasn’t anyone been able to fix this roof?
In Kearsley’s case, the issue wasn’t just about patching holes. The real problem was a lack of a long-term roofing strategy. Weston Elementary, home to pre-k through first grade students, had suffered from persistent roof leaks for more than 10 years. Hallways had open ceilings, and teachers had learned to work around the leaks. Like many public-school districts, Kearsley didn’t have the funding for full replacements or the data to make smart capital decisions.
Can Commercial Roof Repairs Really Make a Difference?
Absolutely, and Weston Elementary is living proof.
Rather than pushing for a full re-roof, Weather Shield started by listening and evaluating. Our team performed a forensic roof inspection, uncovering underlying structural issues, drainage failures, and weak points that had never been addressed.
Then, we built a custom repair plan—not a temporary patch job. Over 8-9 days, our service crews executed strategic repairs, corrected drainage problems, and stabilized the system. And then… it rained. A lot.
But for the first time in years, Weston stayed dry.
“We had a very rainy spring, and my classroom has finally stopped leaking. Thank you!” – Weston Teacher, after 20+ years in the building.
For a school that had battled roof leaks for over a decade, this was a game changer.
How Can Schools Budget for Roofing Without Breaking the Bank?
Once Weston was back on track, Kearsley asked a bigger question: How do we avoid this problem across the rest of the district?
That’s where our strategic roof asset management program came in.
We evaluated every roof across the district, section by section. We cataloged:
- Roof type and age
- Current condition
- Estimated remaining lifespan
- Priority rankings for repair or replacement
- A custom multi-year capital plan based on the district’s actual budget
With this information, Kearsley was able to bring a real roofing strategy to their board—something they’d never had before. A Kearsley School Administrator told our team that our strategic, customized plan helped school administrators present to the board and get an annual roofing budget approved.
It wasn’t just about fixing leaks. It was about turning the roof into a manageable asset, not an emergency line item.
Why Did Kearsley Choose to Re-Roof Weston After Repairs?
Although our service plan extended the life of Weston’s roof, the district ultimately chose to re-roof the building while funding was available. Since we had already evaluated and serviced the roof, we were able to design a smart, cost-effective re-roofing plan:
- A custom tapered insulation system improved drainage permanently
- A 60 mil TPO membrane with a 25-year warranty gave them peace of mind
- Our team delivered daily photo and video updates
- We repaired unrelated asphalt damage at no charge—because it was the right thing to do
Although the project went out for competitive bid, Weather Shield was selected because we had already built trust through results, transparency, and communication.
What Were the Results of Weather Shield’s Work?
The impact of the Weston Elementary project—and the district-wide roofing strategy—has been huge:
- 10+ years of leaks eliminated through one targeted service project
- 25-year warranty installed on Weston’s new roof at no added cost
- Full district roofing strategy in place, including long-term forecasting
- Ongoing service partnership established between Weather Shield and Kearsley Schools
- Proactive planning now underway for other buildings, including Kearsley High School
This is exactly what we mean when we say: More Roof Life. Less Roof Cost. Guaranteed.
What Can Other Facility Managers Learn from This?
If you’re a school facilities director, commercial property manager, or building owner dealing with old roofs and limited budgets, here are three key takeaways from this project:
- Start with a Service-First Strategy
Jumping straight to re-roofing can be a costly mistake. Strategic service work can buy you time and eliminate chronic leaks. - Treat Your Roof Like an Asset.
With roof asset management, you gain control over your capital planning, rather than reacting to emergencies. - Choose a Partner, Not Just a Contractor.
The right roofing partner brings transparency, data, and real solutions—not just another invoice.
When school leaders, students, and staff can finally stop worrying about roof leaks, it changes everything. They get back the one thing money can’t buy: peace of mind.
At Weather Shield Roofing Systems™, we’re proud to help school districts like Kearsley take back control of their roofs and their budgets.
If you’re ready to start protecting your investment and stretching your roofing dollars further, get in touch with us today. We’d love to help.
Andrew Schmidt
Account Executive
Andrew Schmidt brings 25 years of leadership experience in education—including as Deputy Superintendent for Flushing Schools—to his role at Weather Shield Roofing Systems. With a strong background in facilities management, he understands the importance of reliable, well-maintained roofs. Now, he helps building owners find practical, cost-effective roofing solutions, focusing on extending roof life and supporting Weather Shield’s mission: We Stop Roof Leaks!
