Superintendent Provides Update on Long Lots Elementary School
Superintendent Thomas Scarice: Good morning,
On September 24 I provided an update to the Long Lots community on matters related to the school facility. During that time, a series of concerns related to air quality were raised, and since then, these conditions have been remediated and successful retesting of indoor air was administered.
A comprehensive baseline indoor air quality assessment was performed by industrial hygienist consultant, Langan CT, Inc., on July 30, 2021. This survey included an interior and exterior visual inspection of the facility, as well as a comprehensive air sampling of 22 interior spaces and 6 exterior spaces. This valuable assessment demonstrated that the indoor air at Long Lots School (i.e. the air that individuals breathe in) all fell within the normal ranges when tested for fungal spores and particles with the exception of two locations, the auditorium and Room 9. These two locations demonstrated slightly elevated levels of Aspergillus/Penicillium when compared to outdoor air.
The two primary areas were appropriately addressed, and as you are likely aware, the auditorium reopened in December. The continued source of elevated spore counts in Room 9 emanate from a doorway leading to an underground utility crawl space that traces along the building. This room remains problematic and will remain offline for the foreseeable future.
Consequently, it was decided Room 9 would be folded into the comprehensive study of the building envelope (i.e. windows, doors, etc.), which began in August and was reported to the Board of Education on January 18, 2022. Any resolutions to this area will be incorporated into the Board’s long-term capital plan.
An additional small area within a section ceiling tiles was remediated in a non-instructional area as well since then. As a matter of protocol, in these instances, the source of water incursion is identified, addressed to prevent further incursion, and tiles are replaced where appropriate.
The following statement was made in my September 24 message and is worthy of reiterating:
CDC Information
According to the CDC, Aspergillus/Penicillium is a common mold that lives indoors and outdoors, and since most people breathe in fungal spores every day, “It’s probably impossible to completely avoid breathing in some Aspergillus spores. For people with healthy immune systems, breathing in Aspergillus isn’t harmful.” (https://www.cdc.gov/fungal/diseases/aspergillosis/causes.html)
However, to be clear, this information is not intended to minimize any compromises in indoor air quality. In fact, for some individuals with allergies to mold, such compromised indoor air could lead to health problems. If we find mold, we follow EPA protocols for “Mold Removal in Schools and Commercial Buildings”. We remediate where necessary using proper containment procedures and negative air pressure, and then clean and retest before re-occupying the space.
Beyond that, our standards for the quality of indoor air necessitate that any instances that affect indoor air quality are addressed immediately by following proper procedures based on the individual incident. We proactively work to prevent recurrences by optimizing HVAC systems and preventing moisture incursions. For mold to grow, there needs to be moisture and a food source (I.e. paper, cardboard, etc.). Once again, if we find mold, we remediate using appropriate procedures for the specific incident, clean and work to prevent further occurrences by determining and fixing the moisture source.
Next Steps
The final building envelope study and evaluation of the building mechanicals and HVAC system were performed and also publicly reported at the January 18 meeting of the Board of Education. Those reports can be found here https://resources.finalsite.net/images/v1642537256/westport/bygfuys6eg4njq91oaqg/WPSLLESCostRecommendations.pdf and here https://resources.finalsite.net/images/v1642117256/westport/nqjhnsmln4pnhmr6t7kk/WestportLongLotsESPCAReport12-16-211.pdf. Together, the results of these two assessments will inform a holistic plan, with options for Board of Education consideration, to provide a long-term strategy for Long Lots Elementary School.
Long Lots Elementary School is not an unsafe building. This statement is backed up by comprehensive testing done by industrial hygienists. The district will vigilantly work to ensure that appropriate levels of indoor air quality are maintained. To that end, the district has engaged Langan, CT, industrial hygienists to develop a plan for the ongoing monitoring of key indicators. This will enable quick responses in the event of any emerging compromised conditions. This will be done visually and digitally by monitoring temperature and humidity levels regularly, along with periodic air sampling of various areas of the building performed by Langan.
At the January 18 meeting of the Board of Education, our facilities consulting partner, Colliers International, committed to developing a final draft recommendation of long-term options for the Board of Education to review and consider by mid-April. I want to assure the Long Lots community that this is a high priority for the Board and district administration, and there is no intention of letting this decision making process languish. Mid-April is our target to publicly share long-term options and we intend to hit that target.
In the meantime, I encourage you to review the reports embedded above. Additional updates, particularly if the timeline is modified, will be forthcoming from my office. Thank you for your patience as we look to expedite this process so that a long-term strategy is deliberated publicly and decided in order to advance this work in a timely manner.
Sincerely,
Thomas Scarice
Superintendent of Schools
Westport COVID-19 Cases Up 10; State Positivity Rate, Hospitalizations Down
The State Department of Public Health reported 10 new COVID-19 cases for Westport over the past 24 hours. The State’s daily test positivity rate was down to 5.16% while hospitalizations were down as 55 more patients were released from hospitals.
Westport total positive or probable cases: 3,719 cases.
Westport total COVID-19 Deaths: 35 deaths [+1]
State Daily Test Positivity: 5.16% [down from 7.08%]
State Hospitalizations: 552 patients [-55]
Staples Gymnastics Heading To The FCIAC's
Staples gymnastics is ready for the Fairfield County Interscholastic Conference Championship competition on Saturday. Staples competed against St. Joe's and Trumbull (the current 1 and 2 seeds in the FCIACs on Tuesday night.
It was a close competition. Saint Joe's edged out Staples by 0.3 with a final score of 132.9. Staples had a strong meet finishing with a 132.6. Trumbull finished third with a 130.5. Norwalk high school had some strong performances as well.
Coach Kelsey Martin was happy with the performance last night. "We had a few falls on beam, but overall the team is looking polished, confident and ready for the post season. Our goal was to peak at FCIAC and States and we are on track to do so." For as crazy as this season has been, I am impressed with this team. We are a tight-knit team. We are hoping for a great end to the season."
Staples Meet highlights:
Mia Guster won vault (9.35) and floor (8.9) and finished third on beam (8.85). She is expected to contend for all three titles at FCIAC.
Victoria Fidalgo won the bars title with a 8.7. She competed a new vault and got a career high of 8.4. She also finished 4th in the all-around with an impressive 33.00.
Mimi Schindler (8.45 vault, 8.55 beam and 8.2 floor) and Sofia Alarcon (8.45 beam and 8.3 floor) competed in the all-around competition. Abby Pleiter and Eliza Walmark had career highs on vault.
Up Next: Staples qualified as a team for FCIAC (Saturday at 11:00 am). Staples is hopping to do well in the State Championships which begin on March 5th.
Photos By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
Stanley Glick, 86, Died; Past Rotary Club President
Stanley Glick, age 86, of Trumbull, passed away on January 15, 2022.
Stanley was born on May 3, 1935 in the Bronx, New York to the late Charles and Jeanne Glick. He graduated from Dewitt Clinton High School and the City University of New York.
He moved to Westport in 1969 where he eventually started a solo Certified Public Accountant practice. Stanley played an active role in the local business community and was a proud member of the Westport Rotary Club, where he previously served as President.
Stanley is survived by his son, Richard Glick; his daughter-in-law, Erin Glick; his daughter, Karen Thomas; his grandchildren Jenny Thomas, Zachary Thomas, and Alexander Glick; his brother Arnie Glick and his sister Elaine Rosen.
He was predeceased by his loving first wife, Adele, and his third wife, Marilyn. He was also predeceased by his sister, Natalie Spilka.
The family would like to express our gratitude to Jenita Bolan Marshall for her compassion and the care she took of Stanley during his final months.
Memorial contributions may be made to Friends of Sherwood Island State Park.