Centre Hall-Potter elementary school air tests OK (so why are people still sick??)

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http://www.centredaily.com/mld/dailytimes/2731629.htm

Sat, Feb. 23, 2002

Centre Hall-Potter elementary school air tests OK

By Anne Danahy

adanahy@...

CENTRE HALL -- No direct correlation between air quality in the Centre

Hall-Potter Elementary School and student illnesses has turned up in the

latest round of tests on the school.

Among the test's findings are: Mold and fungus in the school are at low

levels overall; the levels inside are lower than the levels outside; and the

levels of one or two strains of possible concern were significantly lower

compared with the building's overall levels, according to Dechant, a

certified occupational health and safety technologist with Philip Services

Corp.

" We didn't find anything alarming of those three criteria, " Dechant said

Friday.

" From the testing, we were not able to draw any direct links to adverse

health problems, " he said. " What we did find is, out of the multitude of

fungal and mold spores, one or two known to be triggers for allergenic

reactions to people who have a known allergy to that specific spore strain

of mold or fungus. "

Two species of bacteria were also identified in the building, but both are

common. Neither one concerned the company, according to Dechant.

Philip Services took samples for the tests on Jan. 24 and will present the

results at a public meeting in the school district at 7 p.m. Monday at the

Penns Valley Area High School auditorium.

For over a year, parents have been expressing concern that the school is

responsible for breathing problems and irritations in their children, but so

far tests have not been able to locate a specific problem.

Nearly 30 parents and residents showed up at a recent school board meeting

to express concern that the school board was not doing enough to address the

problem and to find out how the board would deal with the results.

" If the study does not show something, there is obviously something else, "

Sue Jepson, who has a daughter in the first grade at Centre Hall, said.

Jepson said her daughter started having breathing problems after the first

few days of kindergarten and suffers severe wheezing at different times.

" I really want you to be concerned about this because of the damage it's

doing to our children's lungs, " Jepson said.

Earlier in the meeting, school board member Chuck Herr said exhaust fans

could serve as a temporary solution.

Herr encouraged parents to attend the meeting on Monday to voice their

opinions on how the school board should address the problem.

Dechant said his company will recommend the school district continue with

efforts to bring fresh air into the building, inspect the ventilators,

repair roof leaks and keep an eye on the building.

" The overlying problem is because of the age of the school and the number of

students in there now. They have a ventilation problem in the school, "

Dechant said.

Enrollment at the elementary school is about 325 students, according to

Superintendent Allan Schoonover.

He said Monday's meeting will offer parents a chance to have their questions

answered, but probably no one's concerns will be alleviated until " the

children get better or it is conclusively rectified one way or another. "

Anne Danahy can be reached at 231-4648.