OXFORD – Oxford Academy will be taking a hard look at what to do with its middle school building. The structure’s 77 year-old design proved vulnerable in last year’s unusually severe floods and cost the school about $1.1 million in damages.

The brunt of the cost was paid by state and federal emergency aid. The district has each of its buildings – high, middle and elementary schools – insured at approximately $500,000. However, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has asked Oxford Academy to increase its insurance on the middle school to one million dollars.

“The middle school used all its insurance to help pay the damage suffered during the flood, and the premiums could cost the district three or four times as much,” Superintendent Randall Squier said.

Every year, schools in New York state are required to have a licensed firm inspect their buildings, and this year, Oxford will be hiring a private engineering firm to look closely at numerous issues facing the building and its location.