Parents press district on mold

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Parents press district on mold

MARK D. MAROTTA, Staff Writer

07/14/2006

http://www.thereporteronline.com/site/news.cfm?

newsid=16921875 & BRD=2275 & PAG=461 & dept_id=466404 & rfi=6

Lansdale Reporter - Lansdale,PA

FRANCONIA – Parents urged the Souderton Area School Board on

Thursday to make sure past mold problems at the West Broad Street

Elementary School have been rectified.

Testing last year had detected the presence of mold and bacteria at

the school. Representatives from the Environmental Protection Agency

and the state Department of Health subsequently made recommendations

to improve indoor air quality in district schools.

said Cristina Schulingkamp‚ an environmental engineer

with the Environmental Protection Agency‚ had recently visited

modular classrooms at the school and found the air to be stagnant.

The carpeting was also buckling‚ and Schulingkamp felt there could

be standing water‚ said.

She added that Schulingkamp had also commented that such conditions

could cause children to have trouble focusing in class.

" We're not looking to fight‚ " said.

Superintendent Amuso said testing had not detected the

presence of mold at the school since July 2005.

He added that the current year's budget provides for the removal of

carpeting from six rooms at the school. There is a plan to replace

carpeting with tile at facilities throughout the district‚ he said.

Board President MacDougall said the carpet replacement process

had been underway for two years. He added that it was fiscally

impossible to remove all the carpeting in one year.

MacDougall also said the board will direct the administration to

look at whether water is present under the modulars.

" We're not going to put kids in harm's way‚ " he said.

Vice President Jack Parry said he wanted the public to understand

that the reason that the district is planning to remove carpeting

is " not that we think there's a mold problem. "

Sherri said her three children had been transferred from West

Broad Street‚ and her oldest daughter continues to suffer from hyper-

sensitivity.

" My plea is just be very serious about this‚ " said.

Gallagher‚ director of pupil services‚ said the district has

formed a committee‚ including teachers and parents‚ which is

currently going through a training process for how to inspect school

buildings.

Staff Writer Mark D. Marotta can be reached at (215) 361-8827;

mmarotta@...