Health Department Releases Oak Ridge Elementary Survey Results

Health officials surveyed parents and staff to investigate air quality and environmental concerns

Contact: Haley Miller (336) 370-3200
Created: 6/12/2009 2:42:50 PM

The Guilford County Department of Public Health released results Friday from their survey of parents and staff at Oak Ridge Elementary. The data, while preliminary, confirms that there are ongoing facility issues at Oak Ridge that merit further investigation.

“Our Oak Ridge students, staff and parents deserve to have these issues resolved,” said Superintendent Maurice “Mo” Green. “I am deeply concerned about the health problems reported through this survey. We’re going to do everything we can to get to the bottom of this.”

In the meantime, the district will continue to work closely with the health department. “We appreciate the time and attention they are focusing on this matter, and look forward to receiving their final analysis and recommendations,” said Green.

Guilford County Schools (GCS) has contacted the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and formally requested that they send a building health evaluation team to Oak Ridge. NIOSH is part of the Centers for Disease Control and has expertise in assessing and developing plans of action to address indoor air quality concerns and other facility-related issues. If NIOSH is unable to assist, other appropriate federal agencies will be contacted.

In anticipation that additional remediation work may be needed this summer, the district is identifying national firms with extensive experience in recognizing and remediating indoor air quality concerns in schools and other complex public facilities. Representatives from Oak Ridge’s leadership team, which includes parents and staff, and the school’s PTA executive board, will work in partnership with district administration to review these firms’ credentials and make the final selection for Oak Ridge. Moving forward, these groups will be more involved in the decision-making process for facility concerns.

Once teachers and staff have completed the normal year-end procedures, the district plans to close the building for the summer and relocate the administrative team to another school or facility. This will allow any testing, cleaning or remediation work required to occur without creating major disruptions. While GCS hopes to find the cause of the problems and take any actions needed this summer, the district is working to develop a “Plan B” to ensure that learning can start for students and staff on August 25, even if work is ongoing.

For more information, including the survey results, please click on the link below.

http://www.gcsnc.com/oakridge/oak_ridge.html

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About Guilford County Schools

Guilford County Schools is the third largest school district in North Carolina serving more than 71,000 students at 120 schools. With approximately 10,000 employees, the district’s mission is to graduate responsible citizens prepared to succeed in higher education or the career of their choice. 

Guilford County Schools is a national leader in providing specialized schools and instructional programs designed to meet the educational needs of a culturally diverse citizenship.  For more information, visit the district’s Web site at www.gcsnc.com.