Long Lots Moisture Problem Addressed by Superintendent

Superintendent Thomas Scarice

Good evening,
 

I would like to provide some updates to the Long Lots School community regarding current efforts to address the facility.  In addition, I would like to review some events over the past few months leading up to these efforts.  Given that this work largely began over the summer, this information was not communicated to parents at that time.  I take responsibility for that and would like to summarize those events along with the plans going forward.

Concerns Raised, Indoor Air Assessment Conducted

Concerns were raised in late June by two parent members of the Long Lots “Tools for Schools” (TFS) committee, and echoed by the district TFS Coordinator, JoAnn Duncan, about elevated humidity levels in the building that could potentially lead to an increased risk of indoor mold germination.  Concurrently, in July, mildew was found on some storage boxes in the auditorium that is suspected to be related to a ceiling leak that has now been repaired.  

In response, these concerns were addressed by conducting a comprehensive indoor air quality assessment performed by industrial hygienist consultant, Langan CT, Inc., on July 30. 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.  

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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.  

Responsive Actions

Following the July 30 testing, a plan was put into place for our consulting industrial hygienists to identify the source of Aspergillus spores in the auditorium and Room 9, and to direct any necessary cleaning.  A meeting was held on August 25 to review these actions and also to review a resampling of the air.  Samples taken in both the auditorium and Room 9 indicated that spore counts had not declined and a thorough cleaning of these areas would be required for re-occupancy.  

As the first day of school was the following week, it was decided that access would be restricted to these two locations and limited only to technicians and cleaning professionals.  These actions do not signal a danger to building occupants (i.e. students and staff), but were intended to maintain the integrity of the areas for the professionals in order to accurately identify the source of the higher concentration of Aspergillus/Penicillium when compared to outdoor air, and to keep all equipment and materials in place for an appropriate cleaning. 

On September 14, I held a meeting with the Director of Facilities, the Supervisor of Building Operations, the Chief Financial Officer, the District Coordinator of Tools for Schools, and the building administration, to specify the protocols for remediation under containment and negative air pressure, and the use of air scrubber and cleaning protocols.  In the auditorium, it was decided that all fabric seats and the carpeting would be professionally cleaned.  Furthermore, it was decided that the stage curtains would either be cleaned or replaced, depending on which was more cost effective.  Finally, two retractable doors would be permanently removed to address any potential source issues while acting in a preventive manner. The auditorium will be tested again after this cleaning and, when cleared, will be authorized for re-occupancy. 

However, it has been determined that the source of elevated spore counts in Room 9 emanate from a doorway leading to an underground utility crawl space that traces along the building.  Consequently, it was decided that this section of the building would be folded into the comprehensive study of the building envelope (i.e. windows, doors, etc.), which began in August and is part of the Board of Education’s adopted long-term capital plan, to determine a long-term strategy.   

In addition to the building envelope study, an evaluation of the HVAC system, also part of the Board of Education’s long-term capital plan, is being conducted.  Together, the results of these two assessments will inform subsequent actions to maintain appropriate indoor air quality at Long Lots School.  

Next Steps

The auditorium process of cleaning is underway and, following a resampling of the air, will be authorized for re-occupancy.  Room 9 will continue to be restricted to professional technicians until the results of the building envelope study is completed and a plan has been implemented.  The full building envelope and HVAC evaluations are being conducted and results are expected to be shared sometime in November.  Once completed, a holistic plan will be designed to maintain appropriate levels of indoor air quality at Long Lots School.  

Further Information and Clarifications

Based on CDC guidance related to mitigating the spread of Covid-19, school districts were advised to maximize fresh air intake through centralized HVAC systems.  During periods of high humidity, this strategy had the unintended consequence of increasing humidity levels in school buildings.  This appears to be the case at Bedford Middle School which experienced spot surface mold in August.  It is possible that this led to similar conditions at Long Lots.  However, once this conclusion was drawn, the HVAC systems were adjusted to modify fresh air intake at levels appropriate for each HVAC system.  All school buildings will continue to follow this approach throughout the year.  

During April vacation, mold was identified in the music room.  The area was cleaned over the vacation prior to students and staff returning.  This identification and cleaning was not documented in the Long Lots “Tools for Schools” binder.  However, all appropriate actions were taken to identify and clean the area.  The omission of documentation was an oversight by the Facilities Department and a case of human error. We will do our best to maintain appropriate documentation of indoor air quality concerns when identified.   

Finally, I would like to once again emphasize that I take responsibility for this information not being communicated to the Long Lots School community.  Although all of the appropriate actions were taken along the way, including addressing immediate concerns while developing an holistic long-term strategy, I want to assure the school community that any information related to these efforts will be shared in a timely manner going forward.  

You can expect more updates from my office, or from Long Lots School Principal, Mrs. Kim Ambrosio in the coming weeks and months.  

Sincerely,

Thomas Scarice

Superintendent of Schools