Despite mold, school will open on time

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Despite mold, school will open on time

By Chamoff

Staff Writer

Published August 23 2007

http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/local/scn-sa-nor.mold6aug23,0,3405710.story\

?coll=stam-news-local-headlines

'WESTPORT - A special committee working for the past three weeks to address air

quality concerns at King's Highway Elementary School unanimously recommended

that the school reopen next week " .

" Usually, the question I am asked is, 'Would I send my child to this school?' "

said committee member Gil Cormier, a New Britain-based air-quality specialist

hired by the town. " I would send my child to this school. "

Cormier and others have been testing and removing suspect carpeting, air

conditioning units and ceiling tiles at King's Highway.

Mold was found last week behind the walls of the school's gymnasium, which is

located below ground, and cleanup work is being done.

Work should be completed by week's end, said Gavin , the committee's

chairman. The panel will continue to look for the source of moisture that got

behind the walls.

Two modular classrooms used for music instruction will be closed until they can

be examined further.

The school will reopen for teachers and staff on Monday, while children will

return for class on Wednesday.

" What we have seen accomplished in the last three weeks has been pretty

remarkable, " said.

The committee was appointed by First Selectman Gordon loff last month after

parents complained that administrators did not properly address their concerns

about a mold-infested modular classroom that was closed last fall, and other

classrooms where students and teachers experienced respiratory ailments.

Cormier said that a fourth-grade classroom that concerned parents seemed to be

in good shape, after carpeting and an air conditioning unit were removed.

The carpets in other classrooms will be cleaned with high efficiency particulate

absorption, or HEPA, vacuums. Air conditioning units, ventilators and air

handling units in all classrooms will be cleaned.

Ceiling tiles located near air conditioning units generally had higher levels of

mold, Cormier said.

He said that turning the units on and off, causing temperature fluctuations,

could be causing moisture problems.

Cormier recommends that the rooms be kept at constant temperatures.

Wheeler, community health director for the Westport Weston Health

District, presented some preliminary findings from a survey of 144 families with

children at the school.

She said that some of the symptoms that families listed, such as migraines,

fatigue and sinus headaches, seemed consistent with the high carbon dioxide

levels that have been found at the school.

Three parents on the committee said they were confident that the school would be

safe for their children.

Parent n Reilly said he wanted to see a log of maintenance work at the

school, as well as increased communication between school officials and parents.

" That is what's going to give parents the comfort level, " Reilly said.

The committee will issue a final report in the coming weeks. said that

the group's work was not done, and it has to ensure that the school environment

continues to be safe.

The Board of Education had scheduled a special meeting last night to review the

committee's recommendation, but it was canceled because the panel's report was

positive.

Board of Education Chairwoman Parmelee told the committee that the board

will be requesting an appropriation from the town's finance board to pay for

testing and cleanup efforts at King's Highway, as well as air-quality testing at

the district's seven other schools.

loff praised the committee for communicating openly and helping to restore

parents' trust.

" I said early on that the goal was to make the school safe and restore

confidence, " loff said. " I think we've done that through your hard work. "

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