System to track illnesses in St. Lucie schools

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System to track illnesses in St. Lucie schools

The new reporting protocol will include students who go to the nurse

complaining about the school air quality.

By Margot Susca

staff writer

December 15, 2004

ST. LUCIE COUNTY — More than a month after the St. Lucie County

school district formally began taking air-quality complaints, the

health department has designed a protocol to track student and

teacher illnesses, Schools Superintendent Lannon told the

School Board on Tuesday.

Mold, spawned after high humidity and water damaged schools

countywide after dual hurricanes, has led some parents to complain

about indoor air quality and health problems.

It led School Board member Carol Hilson to ask if the Federal

Emergency Management Agency would pay for some of the costs. It led

the teachers' union president to ask for continued open lines of

communication. And it led a local maintenance workers union to

bargain for additional hourly wages, approved by the School Board.

Regarding indoor air quality, Facilities Director Marty

pointed to state Health Department guidelines that do not suggest

testing for molds.

" All that's good but they're not here, " teachers' union president

Tillman said. " They're not up at night with asthma. "

Seventy mold or air quality complaints have been reported since mid-

November. But even with complaints still coming in, Lannon said the

percentage of absent students is off by less than 1 percent from

this time in 2003. He added a new reporting system, expected to go

into effect after the first of the new year, will include students

who go to the nurse and then go home sick.

" It will probably take several weeks to start pulling some data

together, " Lannon said, adding a public meeting addressing the

results was likely late next month.

Ken East, a contractor hired by the district to work with FEMA,

addressed Hilson's question, saying Charlotte County officials were

drafting worksheets to address reimbursements for mold cleanup not

covered by insurance.

As it continues to chip away at its facilities schedule, some

maintenance workers have had to adjust schedules to work while

children are not in school, said Kathy McGinn, a district executive

director who negotiated an additional 50 cents an hour for workers

expected to impact the district by no more than $52,575.

- margot.susca@...