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families yesterday, detailing the discovery of a leak in the building and
the subsequent remediation. Also attached is a letter from Bob Brown at
Hygenix and the results of environmental tests conducted over the weekend.
Kim Eves
Director of Communications
Greenwich Board of Education
290 Greenwich Avenue
Greenwich, CT 06830
http://www.greenwichschools.org/
Phone: 203-625-7415
e mail: kim_eves@greenwich.k12.ct.us
Fax: 203-869-8003
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March 23, 2009
Dear Hamilton Avenue School Parents and Staff:
As part of the procedures in place to respond with vigilance and investigate facility concerns in our new building, a leak was discovered on Monday, March 9, 2009 at the bottom of the wall and in a floor seam at the entrance of room 104. It was determined that the leak came from a clean-out pipe that was left uncapped by the contractors before closing up the wall. Frank Mazza, Building Committee Chair, was immediately notified and responded to the scene and then contacted Worth Construction. The following timeline outlines the events that have occurred since that time:
Tuesday, March 10, 2009: Worth Construction sent a representative to the building.
Thursday, March 12, 2009: A plumber, arranged by Worth, responded to the incident, placing a temporary cap on the pipe.
Friday, March 13, 2009: District facilities team opened a small hole in the wall to determine possible water damage. Observations were not conclusive.
Monday, March 16, 2009: District facilities personnel, concerned with possible damage behind the wall, contacts Frank Mazza. They are advised to wait and monitor.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009: District facilities team, still concerned with possible water damage and insisting on investigating further, received approval to open the wall.
Friday, March 20, 2009: District facilities team opens the wall finding evidence of water damage and mold.
Sat./Sun., March 21-22, 2009: District maintenance team works over the weekend to remediate the area and calls in Hygenix to consult on remediation and to conduct environmental testing.
Bob Brown from Hygenix has attested to the safe occupancy of the building. We expect the results of the testing to be received on Tuesday, March 24, 2009 and will make them available via the web site and/or upon request.
We are very proud of our beautiful new building, it serves our students and staff very well.
However, given the history, and that it is new construction and that there is an outstanding punch list, we will continue to attentively monitor our new building for any maintenance and/or construction concerns and will update you as situations arise.
Sincerely,
Damaris Rau
Hamilton Avenue School Principal
COMMENT:
It appears that Principal Damaris Rau Have Been Very Open And Transparent About The Situation And Should Be Commended For Being So Straight Forward And Honest With Parents And Taxpayers This Time Frank Mazza
UPDATE:
Suspected mold found in new Hamilton Avenue school
By Colin Gustafson
Staff Writer
Posted: 03/24/2009 02:29:38 PM EDT
GREENWICH -- School officials say the newly-reopened Hamilton Avenue School remains safe for students and staff to continue occupying after evidence of mold and water damage was found late last week near the wall outside a pre-kindergarten classroom.
Bob Brown, an environmental consultant with Hygenix, the firm hired by the school board to test for mold, has attested to the safe occupancy of the school, according to a letter from the school's principal, Damaris Rau, .....
.....Students and staff were allowed to return to the Chickahominy facility on Feb. 17, after spending three years in temporary modular classrooms n the Western Middle School campus while they awaited completion of the school's reconstruction project.
Closed in 2005 because of long-standing mold and structural problems, the old school was supposed to be razed and rebuilt in 18 months, but instead the building project took more than three years to complete because of delays stemming from unforeseen construction problems, communication issues and disputes with the contractor.
UPDATE #2
"It's a little concerning that it has been found in the new building, but I do understand that mistakes are made," said mother Kerry Dunn
School officials say latest discovery poses no health threat
Staff Writer
Posted: 03/24/2009 10:56:26 PM EDT
.....The 2-to-3-square-foot patch of mold discovered this month was attributed to a leaky interior pipe that hadn't been properly sealed by the general contractor during the construction process, officials said.
...."Based on observations, the air test results, and the information that has been provided to me, it is my opinion that the steps taken have effectively eliminated any residual microbial hazards," Brown wrote in a letter sent Tuesday to district Facilities Director Tony Byrne....
....The hygienist's findings come after district facilities officials spent much of this past weekend opening a 20-square-foot portion of the wall to investigate evidence of water damage and mold.....
....The pipe, which was later fitted with a permanent seal, had been periodically spewing a small amount of wastewater on the nearby drywall every time somebody flushed a toilet to which it was connected, said Mazza....
