School officials take extra precautions against mold at Jensen ...

[Guest guest]

(If no moisture problem I wonder why the recommendation for

dehumidifiers.)

Vero Beach Press-Journal - Vero Beach,FL

By KELLY TYKO

kelly.tyko@...

January 24, 2007

http://www.tcpalm.com/tcp/schools/article/0,2820,TCP_24434_5299767,00

..html

JENSEN BEACH — After teachers at Jensen Beach Elementary voiced

concerns over the air quality in their classrooms, school officials

added dehumidifiers, installed new air handlers and called in an

independent air quality expert.

But County School District officials said Tuesday there is no

sign of mold in the wing of classrooms at Jensen Beach Elementary.

Results of a study done by Palm City company United Fire & Water

last Friday confirmed their findings, officials said.

" If there's no moisture, there's no mold, " Facilities Director

Sessa said. " That's the biggest thing that we feel comfortable about

today from our own investigation and backed up by the third-party

that there was no moisture found. That makes us feel really good. "

Around Thanksgiving, the school's principal received questions about

the air quality from teachers in building nine, Sessa said. The

building houses first- and second-grade classes.

As soon as the concerns were raised, the matter was looked into

immediately, school district spokeswoman Brennan said.

" Any time the district receives questions about air quality we act

right away, " Brennan said. " We have procedures that are followed,

steps that we take, in order to make sure that we can ensure that

our students and our staff are in classrooms that are conducive to

learning. That they are in safe, healthy classrooms. "

School district headquarters didn't receive calls from parents about

the situation, Brennan said.

But at least one parent contacted the school directly. Sprague

and his wife e-mailed their 7-year-old daughter's first-grade

teacher. Later, Principal Don Merritt called them, Sprague said.

The Spragues started noticing that their daughter had a runny nose

and congested cough everyday after school. By dinner time, her

symptoms were usually gone and during winter break were nonexistent.

" Our thought was it was just an allergy she had, " Sprague said.

When he learned of the work going on at the school, he became

suspicious that the addition of dehumidifiers and new air handlers

was because of a mold problem.

Three air handlers were installed since November and another six

will be installed Friday, which is a teacher workday.

The air handlers — the indoor units of an air conditioner that

circulate air — were replaced because it didn't appear they would

continue working through the end of the school year, Brennan said.

There are also plans to replace the entire air conditioning system

during the summer, which officials said was part of a planned

improvement.

While selling Girl Scout cookies during the weekend with his

daughter, Sprague said he discussed the matter with other parents

who also said they noticed similar symptoms in their children.

" I'd like to believe that they are being proactive, but there's a

side of me that says, 'Why are they doing so much now?' " Sprague

said. " It just seems like a lot of pro-activity, a lot more than any

government ever does. "

In each of the 15 classrooms being used in the building, a humidity

and temperature recorder is keeping track of the conditions. Some

cabinets have been removed or will be removed and replaced as

another precaution, Sessa said, and the district will act on the

recommendations that United Fire & Water suggested in a three-page

letter.

" It makes us look like that maybe we're doing more than we should,

but I would much rather use caution, an extra step to make sure

we've covered every base, " Sessa said, adding that the district

invited the County Health Department to tour the building

this Friday as another extra measure.

" We want our employees and our parents to be comfortable with

sending their kids to school. "

RECOMMENDATIONS TO IMPROVE AIR QUALITY

The County School District hired Palm City-based company

United Fire & Water to check classrooms at Jensen Beach Elementary

to see " if conditions were present that could warrant elevated

moisture within these classrooms. "

The company used a thermal imaging camera and moisture meter in

their inspection on Jan. 19. Here are some of the report's

suggestions:

• Dehumidifier pans should be cleaned weekly with a disinfectant.

• In certain classrooms, water stained ceiling tiles should be

removed and replaced, but moisture content readings of the tiles

were within normal range.

• Roof should be water tested above areas of water stained ceiling

tiles.