Clearing the air in classrooms

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Clearing the air in classrooms

MICHAEL HOLTZMAN, Staff Writer July 29, 2002

NORTH SMITHFIELD -- When it comes to correcting the quality of indoor air in

schools, parents push their concerns and school officials retreat behind

budget restraints. That typical tension to a sometimes-invisible national

problem in large part categorized the backdrop when mold problems at North

field Elementary School two years ago polarized the two sides. But the

environment has changed dramatically -- both between the school room walls

and the individuals involved.

As such, NSES was the site of a round-table discussion about a week ago

aimed at holding a statewide event to publicize what's known, what's being

done and what should be done to mitigate indoor air quality health impacts,

while ultimately setting up a " clearing house " for school systems to help

one another.

" I think that they were willing to step up to the plate and make a

commitment of financial resources to do what needed to be done. I think

that's exemplary, " Lodie Lambright, program manager for the Asthma Control

Unit of the state Department of Health, said about North field.

Similarly, Molly , environmental health program director for the

American Lung Association in Rhode Island, who like Lambright attended this

initial meeting, witnessed a changed atmosphere surrounding NSES.

" They came a long way in a couple of years. A lot of the problems they were

originally dealing with have been dealt with, and I think the overall

relationship between parents and the schools has improved, " said.

It's the combination of replacing the NSES roof, replacing suspect carpeting

with tile at the town's newest school, upgrading ventilation filters and

using new cleaning agents to combat mold, combined with parents and school

officials working more in concert, that's elevated North field to the

forefront.

Continuing its pro-active stance, the School Health and Safety Association

Inc. (SHASA), the parents group that became a gadfly to school officials

when significant health issues surfaced in November 2000, is playing a lead

role with the support of its school system and state health leaders.

Acknowledging " the emotional and financial cost " the past two years have

brought, SHASA President ette Hamilton-Kell said their common goal has

not been compromised.

" We want other communities to realize that they too can take steps to

improve their schools, and that not doing so will ultimately cost more in

the long run, " she said.

Superintendent M. Scherza said.: " In a lot of ways, we've learned a

lot. Out of something very painful, some good things have happened. "

Scherza was also able to say something about NSES, an elementary school for

upwards of 700 pupils in pre-kindergarten through Grade 5, that would have

been scoffed at years ago.

" I think this is the kind of school people would want to work in, " he said.

The veteran superintendent assessed during this first of several expected

subcommittee meetings to plan a statewide event -- probably in October --

that there's a basic problem every school system faces over indoor air

quality issues: While school departments and building committees rely upon

" good science and good scientists " for accurate information, no single

source can provide answers to common problems.

Ray Boss, the school district's facilities manager, who will be the

administration's representative in this cooperative effort, said when a new

school or an addition like NSES put on this year is planned, architects,

school officials and people like himself need to be aware of current

recommendations and guidelines.

But that is not always the case, Boss said.

According to Hamilton-Kell, SHASA and the administration " struggled through

the process of determining which guidelines to follow during the remediation

process and the subsequent building of the new ($3 million) addition. "

" As a result, North field has learned through trial and error and is

now willing to share its expertise on indoor air quality with other

communities that may be experiencing similar problems, " Hamilton-Kell said.

Their ultimate goal, she said, is to set up a network, a single state

agency, a clearing house of updated information that is consistent, reliable

and available to all.

Bolstering the optimism of her organization, state officials with common

concerns are committed to the group effort. For instance, the Asthma Control

Unit -- concluding a three-year grant of $200,000 annually from the Center

for Disease Control in Atlanta -- is committed to co-sponsoring the fall

forum with SHASA.

Through the Department of Health, Lambright is working on finding the venue

for what's envisioned as a half-day summit. She expects they'll bring school

facilities managers from all over the state, for example, to talk about what

they're doing to improve indoor air quality.

SHASA, which learned about the Department of Health's contemplation of a

state event, had a similar idea and representatives began talking between

themselves, Lambright said.

There was agreement that " yes, this is a good thing. We need to go ahead, "

said Lambright. " So this is a beginning. "

She said funds for the Asthma Control Unit under its initial grant were to

develop a statewide asthma control plan, a condition known to be hurt, by

poor air quality. A second stage, over the next five years, would be for the

Asthma Control Unit to implement the plan. The American Lung Association

would be the lead agency for intervention, Lambright said.

According to the Lung Association's , significantly rising asthma rates

nationwide, combined with the " triggers " that affect asthma, have played a

role in school communities paying more attention to indoor air quality.

Along with North field, East Providence, Exeter-West Greenwich and

South Kingstown are among the school districts that " have done a lot. " At

NSES, said , who's been involved with SHASA, " they did have to replace

the roof -- they had no choice. "

said constructive communication between school officials and parents,

coupled with reliable resources, are key to reaching the goal of " having

every building as clean as possible. "

She told an ironic story that happened well over a decade ago in the Warwick

schools and is still repeated.

It happened when the asbestos removal tidal wave first surfaced. One day,

without any notice to parents or pupils, " men in white moon suits " appeared

at the school, while classes were in session, to begin encapsulating the

affected areas. The reaction couldn't have been much worse if Orson Wells

hit the radio airwaves for the first time with " The War of the Worlds. "

" The whole idea of having open discussions is to avoid things like that, "

said.

She said people like Hamilton-Kell and Flaherty of SHASA sitting

down with Scherza, Boss and NSES Principal Carolyn Frayne are an example of

school districts " getting past the more acrimonious stage and saying, 'Let's

deal with the problem.' "

" We are very pleased that so many agencies are willing to take part in such

an important step toward better understanding of the issues facing

communities, " Hamilton-Kell said. " We believe that all our resources will

make a difference. "

©The Call 2002