Lapeer and Mt. school districts to study mold reports

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2 school districts to study mold reports

Saturday, February 23, 2002

By L. and Lacy

JOURNAL STAFF WRITERS

Lapeer and Mt. school officials are expected to study reports

completed this week on environmental problems in their schools, with neither

expected to indicate emergency health concerns.

An environmental hygienist's report on high levels of bacteria found in

December at two Lapeer East High School portables concluded there was no

mold present and indicates there is not an emergency health situation at the

school, said Lorraine Grinnell, director of district services.

Grinnell said the two portable classrooms will remain closed at least into

next week, when school officials plan to review the report and corrective

actions suggested by the hygienist. Among the suggestions: carpet and

ceiling tile replacement.

In Mt. , meanwhile, an 80-page report about recent tests at Central

Middle School, where mold traces were found in the basement on Dec. 4, is

expected to be received by the district on Monday.

Grosse, an environmental consultant with Nova Environmental Inc. of

Ann Arbor, which conducted the report, declined to comment about the

school's safety, but said the mold wasn't a major problem to begin with.

But Mt. resident Pamela isn't convinced.

Her 4-year old daughter, , has been out of school with a viral

infection since Feb. 5 - weeks after an initial Nova report said the school

was free of mold.

" We as parents have been receiving results of these tests, but it's hard to

tell what they mean, " said. " The only thing that we learned from the

first report was that every child can respond differently to mold. "

Mt. Superintendent Larry did not return a phone call made

Friday to comment on the school's status.

The Lapeer report covers only the initial testing by the hygienist, who

returned to the district a second time to conduct further tests.

The two portable classrooms, which were tested Dec. 12, were abandoned in

January after tests showed high levels of bacteria. Those tests were

conducted after a student complained of health problems, Grinnell said.

Although there are no federal or state required actions, the district

decided to remove the students and further test other areas in the district

where water damage has occurred.

Water damage was likely the source of the bacteria, and school officials

said the portables had leaked in the past.

In January, Superintendent Ron Caniff sent letters to all district parents,

informing them of the steps taken by the school administration.

Health officials told Caniff the specific bacteria affects only a small

percentage of people who have extremely sensitive immune systems.

L. covers Lapeer County. He can be reached at (810) 766-6365, in

Lapeer at (810) 441-0926 or jmsmith@....

© 2002 Flint Journal. Used with permission