LeRoy Central School District addresses community
The LeRoy Central School District has now hired its own environmental and safety consulting firm to evaluate the high school's air quality. This after 12 female students and one boy have come down w a mystery illness. The firm, Leader, revealed its findings during a heated community meeting. Reporter Sheba Clarke has more on what Leader had to say.
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LEROY, N.Y. -- "We want to know now what's going on, what are you going to do to protect my kids, what are you doing to protect these people's children?” questions a concerned parent.
Fears and frustration have been some of the emotions of the LeRoy High School community and Superintendent Kim Cox wants that to change.
Cox said the district hired the firm Leader to calm community fears ornamentally safe for all students.
“All of the tests we've done. all of the medical testing, all of the professionals we have been working with for the past several months have concluded that there has been no environmental cause or infectious cause to the condition that we are seeing with our students. But it is clear to us that our community needs some re-assurance,” said Cox.
Over the past week Leader representatives evaluated previous air quality and environmental testing done in December by the Genesee Valley Educational Partnership.
Saturday morning at a community meeting they revealed GVEP's Indoor Air Quality Investigation report proved there were no environmental dangers detected. Still they recommended more thorough and comprehensive tests need to be done.
Mary Ellen of Leader said, "We reviewed the data. The test measures done in December were appropriate. They gave you a good indication there was no environmental factors emanating in this building. And as we looked at it knowing the parents are concerned, we wanted to do a more deliberate, more comprehensive, more detailed sampling protocol."
Within the next week or so Leader representatives plan to collect air quality samples from all areas of the school building. The firm said it will set up monitors in select classrooms for 24-hour sampling after hours.
Industrial Hygienist Mary Ellen Holvey said they will be looking at things like carbon monoxide and dioxide levels, temperature and humidity.
Also classroom ventilation systems will be tested for Volatile Organic Compounds, formaldehyde, and air fungi.
According to Leader's Project Manager, soil testing may also be done depending on their findings.
Peter von Schondorf, of Leader said, "We've got to look at the layout the building the HVAC system and look at where people are and that's when we'll make a final decision and give further recommendations to the school board."
Superintendent Cox said she did not know how much the district will be paying Leader for additional testing. But said she's confident in their work, and believes it's necessary to the community.
Cox said, "I think their services are necessary so we can answer any questions that are still out there in people's minds and you can see there are still questions out there.”
The project manager said if all goes well, they should be able to get the results in about three weeks. He said they should be made available through the district.