by Phillip Zema
The Berlin School District is working to alleviate the lead problem at Berlin Central School. On October 29 and 30, the Berlin Elementary School received a full lead hazard risk assessment from UNYSE Environmental Consultants. The study revealed that no soil lead hazards were identified, though a lead dust hazard was found on one window sill. A letter sent by the District to local parents stated that “the absence of multiple lead hazards is an indication that our cleaning efforts are effective.” The result of the assessment, as well as other useful information, is available at the District’s website, berlincentral.org. (Editor’s note: A letter from Peter Danziger, the lawyer representing concerned citizens in the School District, has a quite different interpretation of the results and appears below.)
Still, the District intends to be vigilant about the problem and will continue to take stabilization measures. Short term projects include frequent cleaning of both the building’s interior and exterior, removing fallen paint chips, removing LBP hazards, setting up a fence around the building’s perimeter, purchasing a lead wipe and wrapping pillars in plastic. Over the long run, the District will continue to “undertake a thorough cleanup of all corridor window surfaces,” stabilize all deteriorated lead based paint and develop a long term plan for lead and asbestos abatement.
In its report, UNYSE encouraged the Board to complete much of the stabilization work over Christmas break (December 24-January 2). Accordingly, the BOE unanimously approved a resolution requesting that the District solicit qualified contractors to complete the project. The resolution also stated that the District should “take any other necessary steps to ensure that the lead based paint stabilization work… [be] completed in a timely and legally compliant manner…”
Some residents expressed concern that not enough children were being tested for lead. Lawyer Peter Danziger emphasized the need to inform one’s neighbors and friends about the importance of getting blood tests, especially among children 4-6 years old. Danziger added that since BES lacks a ventilation system and since its windows must be shut, the air quality should be tested. It was also mentioned that the asthma rate at BES is 10%.
Board Member John Nash shared these concerns and broached the topic of reopening the Grafton and Stephentown schools. He stated that given the health and safety concerns at BES, this option warrants strong consideration. Interim Superintendent of Schools Brian Howard, however, did not share this opinion. He felt that, at least in the short term, stabilizing BES and keeping the students in the building was the District’s best option. There are logistical concerns with moving students to Grafton, and both the Grafton and Stephentown Elementary school buildings need renovations as well. Howard feared that moving students would simply replace one problem with another.
The District has considered providing students with free blood tests, but several factors have impeded this plan. Howard said that a number of conditions have to be satisfied before the District can proceed with such tests. First and foremost, a doctor’s prescription is required, and the child’s parents must be present. Mere finger pricks will not do as they can lead to inaccurate or false-positive results. Nevertheless, the District intends to carry through with this plan and hopes to get something in place after Thanksgiving break.
Howard emphasized that the District is faced with a number of looming challenges but needs to come together before a long term plan can be established. He also felt the public deserved a meeting where the lead issue was the main focal point. The meeting would feature a panel composed of health and education officials. This panel would provide information about BCS’s health and safety issues and field questions from the public. The target date for this meeting is November 29.
Financial Issues
The BOE also discussed a number of financial issues. The District, in order to reduce class size, decided to add a third third grade section; currently, there are two classes of 27 and 28 students, respectively. This change will require the addition of another teacher, and the District will first look to hire a faculty member who lost his or her position through consolidation.
Moreover, the Board approved to pay a $23,744 bill for work done on the bus garage’s drywell. There was concern about whether there was money in the budget to foot this bill. The BOE asked Howard to investigate whether it could be paid through the existing budget.
To address BES increased cleaning needs, the BOE agreed to hire two half-time custodial workers and increase the hours of two other employees. The BOE decided to make these positions temporary, especially since the lead hazards might be reduced over Christmas break.
The BOE disagreed over the merits of being a member of the NYSSBA (New York State School Board Association). Membership costs $6,115, and it was debated whether this was a worthwhile expenditure. School Board President John Greene decided to table the issue until a future meeting.
In light of these expenditures, Nash and Board Member Beverly Stewart were concerned that the budget was too small to support the District’s needs. They indicated that, given the need to clean and repair BES and hire additional staff, maybe consolidation was not as economical as initially anticipated. While neither wished to compromise the District’s educational needs, they were concerned about the increased spending.
Nash, moreover, expressed his concern that there will be additional federal and State cuts to education. Accordingly, he emphasized the importance of fiscal responsibility during these difficult economic times.
Listening Tour
Interim Superintendent Howard added that amidst these health and safety concerns, it was important not to ignore the District’s positive attributes. He praised the District’s faculty and students (he referred to Berlin’s student body as constituting 900 of the District’s most important citizens) but feared that division, vilification and finger pointing were all too common. He felt Berlin was too good a District to let such problems predominate. To address a number of District-wide concerns, Howard thought it would be a good idea for BOE members to meet frequently with community members in groups of approximately 25. While Howard admitted that such meetings would not be a cure-all, he felt they would help the District develop a common view on various matters.
BOE Open Elections
The BOE approved 6-1, with Board Member and Past President Frank Zwack as the lone dissenter, to change the BOE election process. The change, however, will only be adopted if approved by the voters in May. Currently one candidate competes head to head against another. The new setup, if adopted, would eradicate this process, and implement a system where only the top vote recipients win BOE seats (e.g. if there are two openings, voters simply choose two people among the pool of candidates).
The LAC Back In Action
The Leadership Advisory Committee met on Monday and developed a tentative plan for the 2010-2011 school year. Co-Chairman Atsushi Akera emphasized the Committee’s goal of providing impartial, unbiased data analysis to the BOE and District. Akera added that the LAC hopes to create a number of task forces and get representation from each of the District’s five towns; membership would ideally include individuals from a variety of backgrounds including finance, town leadership and education. If people are interested in joining a task force, application information can be found at the LAC’s website at www.rpi.edu/~akeraa/LAC.
The Letter from Peter Danziger containing his interpretation of the Lead Hazard Risk Assessment:
RE: Lead Hazards at Berlin Elementary School
DATE: November 15, 2010
A Lead Hazard Risk Assessment was conducted on October 29th and 30th at the Berlin Elementary School. The assessment was performed by a Certified Risk Assessor recommended by the New York State Department of Health. A copy of the test results and report are available at berlincentral.org (copies of selected pages are attached).
The inspection records document that extensive lead hazards are present at the Berlin Elementary School. Lead paint hazards were found at 99 locations in more than 40 rooms where the paint conditions were poor (chipping, peeling or flaking paint).
The lead based paint hazards were found on:
1. Windows and window components
2. Exterior painted surfaces, trim and components (i.e., fascia, soffit, portico ceiling, clock tower, columns)
3. Select interior and exterior doors
4. Select interior components (i.e., baseboard, railings)
5. Select wall surfaces
Only 25 dust wipe samples were taken and one sample indicated a lead dust hazard. The samples were taken from interior areas that were being cleaned three times per week. The District believes cleaning is effective and can control further dust hazards until stabilization work is conducted during the December holiday break.
Only a total of six soil samples were taken at the playground and soccer field, including the swing, tire pyramid, “Castle”, slide, goal mouth and bare spots near the soccer field. These areas are far behind the school and across from a maintenance road and parking area.
Although lead based paint exists in numerous exterior locations of the school, it does not appear that any soil samples were taken in the area adjacent to or near the school building.
Of the approximately 450 students attending the Berlin Elementary School, we are aware of less than 20 students who have been tested for lead in their blood. We believe that more than 95% of the students have not been tested.
All students should be tested immediately. Students under age six who are at risk for lead exposure are required to be tested by State regulation.