Washington Twp. school tested for mold

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Washington Twp. school tested for mold

Saturday, May 14, 2005

South Jersey

http://www.courierpostonline.com/news/southjersey/m051405j.htm

Consultant was hired by parents as part of lawsuit

By LISA GRZYBOSKI

Courier-Post Staff

WASHINGTON TWP.

An environmental consultant spent four hours in Orchard Valley

Middle School on Friday collecting air, water and soil samples that

will be tested for mold, bacteria and other particles.

Quality Environmental Concepts Inc. of town was hired by a

group of parents who are suing the Washington Township school

district over mold problems at Orchard Valley and Chestnut Ridge

middle schools.

The parents, who filed the suit the summer of 2004, say the district

hasn't done a good job handling the problem or keeping the public

informed. They are seeking unspecified compensatory and punitive

damages.

The district argues it has been upfront with parents since problems

surfaced in the early 1990s and is taking the appropriate steps to

fix them.

Contractors are replacing the school buildings' heating, ventilation

and air-conditioning systems at a cost of about $12.4 million.

Voters approved the project in December.

" We'll probably do every test from A to Z " with samples taken from

the school, said Ed Knorr, co-owner of the firm. He collected about

20 samples Friday morning and afternoon while students were in

school and will send them to EMSL Analytical Inc., a laboratory in

Westmont. The results should be ready within three weeks, Knorr said.

" These will finally end the saga over there of what's been

happening, " he stated.

Asked why Chestnut Ridge wasn't included in Friday's tests, Knorr

said the two schools were built at the same time in the same way and

called them " sister buildings. "

The parents are paying for the tests, which could cost up to

$18,000, he said.ADVERTISEMENT - CLICK TO ENLARGE OR VISIT WEBSITE

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The school district's consultant, R.A. West Associates Inc. of

Newtown, Pa., was also on hand Friday, said school spokeswoman Jan

Giel, who noted all the activity was " related to the ongoing lawsuit

by the parent group. "

" Our efforts are simply to follow them around, " said West,

the firm's president.

The company has tested both middle schools several times before for

the school district, West said. However, he wouldn't elaborate,

saying " we're at the point now where it's a matter of litigation and

I can't speak more. "

Louis Giansante, a stown environmental attorney representing

the parents, said he and his clients felt they needed a second

opinion. He remarked his firm is still getting reports of students

and teachers complaining of health problems.

" We think we have some very good anecdotal information, we think we

have some very good epidemiological information, " Giansante

stated. " But at some point we needed tests. "

He said he and his clients are looking beyond mold to other

particles. They wanted the testing done while classes were in

session because studies have shown " you get different readings if

you're in an empty classroom as opposed to an active one, " Giansante

said.

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Reach Grzyboski at (856) 251-3345 or

lgrzyboski@...