Gilmer students forced into outbuildings

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Gilmer students forced into outbuildings

Mold shutters most of Normantown Elementary School

ton Gazette, WV*

By Davin White

Staff writer

http://sundaygazettemail.com/section/News/2007072820?pt=0

Normantown Elementary School's bottom level flooded three times in

the past two years, causing nasty, mold-covered rooms, a soggy floor

and air unfit for young children to breathe.

" The tile was coming up, the floor was damp, " said Gilmer County

Superintendent Ed Toman. " You could punch right through the floor. "

Gilmer school officials allowed classes on the second and third

floors of the main building last year, but that's no longer an

option.

About 110 students at the school will probably learn their ABCs this

fall in three annex buildings on campus, which house six classrooms.

Two rooms are under the cafeteria while another two are part of a

temporary " modular " once used for art and music, Toman said.

If that doesn't work, the gymnasium could be turned into classrooms.

The gym is attached to the main building, but could have its own

heating, cooling and ventilation, parents say.

Toman said lunches still will be cooked in the kitchen, but students

will eat in their classrooms.

Meanwhile, county Board of Education member Phyllis Starkey says

Gilmer County is unfairly denied state help because it has such a

low student enrollment and voters there are willing to support the

district with an excess levy, unlike other small counties.

Toman said only 973 students attend school in Gilmer County, the

fewest in West Virginia.

On Tuesday, local parents and activists pushed for a solution, and

found some relief. On Starkey's motion, the board unanimously chose

to keep students at the Normantown campus and start figuring out to

do with the mold.

Staff at MSES Consultants, a sburg-based environmental and

engineering firm, said eliminating the mold and opening the bottom

floor back up to students could cost as much as $143,800, Toman said.

He favors paying about $50,000 to eliminate the mold, tear out the

floor and cordon off the bottom floor completely. That way, teachers

and students still could occupy the second and third floors as long

as the bottom level is structurally sound, he said.

Bill Elswick, executive director of the state Department of

Education's Office of School Facilities, met with officials from the

state fire marshal's office, Toman and others in Gilmer County

Thursday to check out the situation.

Elswick said he'll know more details when Gilmer County board

members amend to their comprehensive educational facilities plan,

which will allow them to make an emergency request. He expects that

early this week.

The multi-year plan outlines a district's needs in regard to schools

and other buildings.

Normantown parents Misty Pritt, Tanner and are

happier that their children will stay on the school's campus than

upset over the mold problem that closed the main building.

The parents have worked with organizers of Challenge West Virginia,

a group that usually opposes consolidation and supports small,

community-based schools.

While pleased with this week's school board meeting, Tanner and

Pritt remain frustrated that it took so long to accomplish anything.

" We're in a time crunch right now, " Pritt said. " [MSES] is a company

that we could have been working with all along. [Tuesday's meeting]

was kind of bittersweet in a way. "

MSES and Elswick had known the mold situation was dire back last

September, the parents say.

From there, Starkey said, she and other board members, as well as

Toman, failed to act. " I call it dragging your feet. "

Toman said Gilmer's facilities plan called for brand new Normantown,

Sand Fork and Troy elementary schools.

School officials discussed that in meetings with county residents

from October through December, he said.

" If we were going to replace that school soon, then why would we put

the money in to fix it? " he asked.

Still, Toman requested $500,000 from the state School Building

Authority in January, hoping to renovate Normantown. Authority

members denied the request in March.

Mark Manchin, the authority's executive director, said the money

requested appeared to be more about structural renovations than mold.

" It appears now the mold, I guess, is the real issue, " he said,

adding he hopes to visit Normantown soon to grasp the extent of

their problems.

Starkey fears state leaders want to combine all four elementary

schools in Gilmer County.

Manchin acknowledged that Gilmer board members are going to have

to " sit down and make some real tough decisions, " but he said that's

a local decision.

Historically, SBA officials have shied away from funding schools

that do not meet " economies of scale. " A district has a better

chance of opening a new school if it closes three old buildings as

opposed to one.

Toman said one option still involves busing the students to

Glenville Elementary. He realizes that's not a popular option.

Glenville is the closest school, but is still " quite a ride, "

said. She and the other parents say that school already is

overcrowded.

Starkey pledged to keep the elementary school open, saying many

children already have lengthy bus rides to Normantown.

To contact staff writer Davin White, use e-mail or call 348-1254.