2005-03-28 School Committee Minutes

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.'.~kU fC;LIE S4f t MASS. Reading School Committee `i' 25 Reading, Massachusetts Regular Session March 28, 2005 Call to Order Chair McFadden called the School Committee to order at 7:40 p.m. in the Superintendent's Conference Room. Present were Mr. Dahl, Mrs. Gibbs, Mr. McFadden, Mr. Spadafora and Ms. Webb. Also present were Superintendent Schettini, Associate Superintendent Richards, Director of Human Resources and Finance Mary DeLai and Student Representative, Michael O'Brien. Bills and Payrolls Bills and Payrolls were circulated for signature. Citizen's Input Mrs. Phillips mentioned Town Council's revision on the redistricting motion. Mr. Dahl told her that at Town Meeting a one-word change would make it an instructional motion. Gifts There were no gifts. Superintendent's Report Superintendent Schettini stated he attended the fifth grade Town Meeting at Reading Memorial High School. Mr. Brown and Mr. Foulds participated. There were two topics on the agenda, school uniforms and an extended school day with no homework. Mr. Schettini stated it went very well. Ms. Webb asked for clarification from Scott Dunlap concerning the air quality report at the Wood End School. Mr. Dunlap gave a brief history of the air quality report. He stated that in October, the roofing subcontractor, without the required notice to the project team, or the school department, proceeded to complete roof repairs on the roof during the school day when faculty and students occupied the building. The fumes from the roofing activities were drawn into an adjacent intake louver and the classrooms in the immediate area experienced odors from the fumes. The roofing activities were stopped immediately and the building was temporarily evacuated. He went on to say the School Department and the School Committee then employed the services of an air quality consultant, Universal Environmental Consultants, for purposes of insuring that the air quality in the school building was safe. Universal Environmental tested carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) levels. They reported that all levels were within acceptable levels with the exception of one stairwell. The School Department immediately began exhausting and supplying fresh air to this stairwell, as per the recommendations of Universal Environmental. The School Department also limited access to this stairwell, such that students and staff were not using the stairwell. Subsequent to the School Department exercising fresh air procedures in the stairwell, Universal Environmental was asked to return to the site to confirm that the air quality in the stairwell was safe. During the month of November, the Massachusetts Department of Health (MDH) received an anonymous complaint regarding air quality at the Wood End School. The MDH visited the school and test carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) levels. The MDH reported that all levels were safe and that the air quality was good. The MDH did suggest several "housekeeping items" for purposes of reducing dust and airborne particles. Such items included regular cleaning of whiteboards, removing plants from windowsills so that the sills are more easily cleaned, and removing tennis balls from classroom chair legs.