F. Kennedy School in Milford Has a Problem

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Tuesday, January 08, 2002 - 12:00:00 AM MST

Mold woes discussed in Milford School cleanup recommended

By ANTHONY SPINELLI

MILFORD -- ah Ortiz's doctor recently advised her to wear an

allergen-filtering mask to school.

That was the doctor's solution to dealing with a mold problem at F.

Kennedy School, which ah's mother believes is making the girl sick.

ah, 10, ignored the advice out of fear of embarrassment. But it

illustrates the extent of the elementary school's problem, said her mom,

Tabitha Ortiz.

" It's an apparent problem that must be taken care of as soon as possible, "

she said.

Ortiz was one of a dozen parents who spoke Monday at the Board of

Education's meeting to discuss results of mold evaluations at the

38-year-old school.

About 150 parents, teachers, and administrators attended the session to hear

Gil Cormier, a consultant working for the school board, summarize his

findings.

Cormier said Kennedy does have a mold problem, but it's not so severe that

the school must be closed, as was the case with a Fairfield school last

year.

JFK may also have a dust-mite problem, Cormier said, but test results

weren't yet available for that. Dust mites also trigger allergies in some

people.

To relieve the mold problem in the short term, Cormier recommended opening

windows and running exhaust fans.

He also advised unplugging evaporation holes in the school's brick walls,

removing grass clippings from the building's air intakes and sloping land

away from the school's perimeter to keep water from pooling there.

Cormier called for a formal building maintenance program to prevent moisture

and mold.

As for a long-term fix, the Board of Aldermen is expected to consider a

capital request for hundreds of thousands of dollars to recoat the school's

roof and correct moisture problems this summer.

Some parents said they want more action.

Lee Ann Lofaro said she wants the Board of Aldermen to address the problem,

not the school board. She said the school's roof should be replaced rather

than recoated.

" What we should be talking about is removing the old roof and all of the

old, thick insulation that has been saturated with water over the years, "

Lofaro said.

School officials say the problems are being addressed. The district is

developing a plan based upon Cormier's recommendations, Supt. Jo Kramer

said. She reminded parents that work is already under way.

Room 22, where the mold problem is worst, has been closed to students since

November during cleaning.

School board members await results of Cormier's allergen tests, as well as

the results of a state Division of Occupational Safety and Health inspection

made last Thursday.

Dr. Santilli, whose patients include some of the Kennedy teachers, said

he surveyed 25 staff members at JFK and found many who are getting sick.

" I think we have a severe reaction to the problems in this building, "

Santilli said.

Spinelli, who covers Milford, can be reached at 878-2130.

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