04/18/07 - "There's no way that my children will ever go back to that building ever again," said Laura DiBella, a Ham Ave School parent (Updated)

Betty "You Can Trust Me" Sternberg And The Greenwich Board Of Education Are

Literally giving
Intetionally
Ambiguous
Responces

to Glenville parents and the single family home owners who are forced to pay the tax bills.

Headline:

Laura Debella says that she sympathizes with Glenville parents faced with that dilemma.

Quote:

"I can't see how they would be comfortable with it," Debella says.

Story:

Parents oppose reusing modular

With a week to go before the Board of Education decides whether the mold-infested Hamilton Avenue School modular building should be remediated and reused, some parents are lobbying educators to reconsider their options.

The modular could be used by Glenville School students this fall while their school begins renovation.

"I just think we're rushing to get it done," Frank Carbino, a Glenville School parent, said of the decision-making process. "We're not doing any justice to the kids."

Carbino belongs to a chorus of parents who are opposed to reusing the modular building, particularly after what Hamilton Avenue's students went through. Students, who had spent three years there without access to a gymnasium or cafeteria, were evacuated from the modular building in March because of mold.

"We've already seen Hamilton Avenue go through this, we need to learn from it," Carbino said, adding that even if the mold is remediated, the site would lack a gym and cafeteria.

The Board of Education is set to decide Thursday whether it will reuse the modular or pursue the other option, which would be to take over the Western Greenwich Civic Center and build a new small modular......

Please see:

04/14/08 - BOE To Spend 1.7 Million To Put The Smallest Glenville Students In The Molded Modulars - Older Students Will Be Dispersed All Over(Updated)

Here Is Today's Suggested Submission To Ripley's Believe It Or Not:

Glenville School parent Paul Curtis, who unlike Carbino would rather send his children back to a remediated Hamilton Avenue School modular than have them separated.

"It's not the best solution but if the building construction people and the Board of Education feel it's an adequate school facility, we would rather stay together than split up." .....

Has Mr. Curtis been drinking a little too much of Betty "You Can Trust Me" Sternberg's Kool Aid?

Here is an interesting question for Mr. Curtis.

Why was it okay For Greenwich School Architect John Brice to stick his hand inside the enclosed parts of the building, and then report to the Greenwich Time that he touched what "appeared" to be part of a vapor barrier?

But it is not Okay, for the Hamilton Avenue's Independent Environmental Expert to stick his hand in the same place and just take an air sample.

If Nancy "This Is Happening On My Watch" Weissler, the chairman of the education board, won't let an Independent Environmental Expert take an air sample in the same place that A Board Of Education Architect handled contaminated material, then how could a parent even consider placing a small child in that environment.

There Was no problem reported at all when John "School Board Paid" Brice, AIA reached inside and manhandled the contaminated construction materials, but if an Independent Environmental Expert want an air sample, then the school board claims that modular classrooms are going to potentially suffer honorific amounts of contamination and cause remediation costs to sky rocket?

The only reason Hamilton Avenue Parents are not allowed to independently test the contaminated modulars is that their are a bunch of high paid failed school administrators who are afraid of loosing their jobs.

Unfortunately, at the Greenwich Board Of Education the wants and needs of high paid failed school administrators come before the wants and needs of small children.

Please see:

04/12/08 - Greenwich Spotlight: Greenwich School District's Facilities Director Anthony "Tony Two Face" Byrne And The Ham Ave School Coverup (Updated)

Only a fool would allow their children to go back into those contaminated modulars without independent testing.

Hamilton Avenue And Glenville Parents Should Mark Thier Calendars

ALSO PLEASE SEE THIS RELATED POST:

04/19/08 - Judith Moretti Sends A Letter About Hamilton Avenue School To The Greenwich Time Editor And Asks Some Very Important Questions

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"JUST SAY NO TO CONTAMINATED CLASSROOMS"

04/16/08 - Frank wants to step back and learn from mistakes made in the past. He says the contaminated Hamilton Avenue Modulars are not an ideal site

Letters To The Greenwich Time

Reuse of modular buildings would be the wrong move To the editor: I would like to comment about a meeting I recently attended regarding the mold issue with the modular buildings at Western Middle School. The meeting, which was held at Glenville School, was designed so the building committee could present facts and findings about relocation options for Glenville School, and then have a question-and-answer session with parents. There were five options presented. The building committee quickly ruled out four of the options, and remediation of the old modular buildings was the only one left for discussion. I strongly believe remediation of the modular buildings is not an option. I don't think the question is whether the mold can be removed. The question is whether anyone can make this site a school. The Hamilton Avenue School students just spent the better part of four years in this modular school. This building committee needs to learn from them. Let's ask them: If the mold can safely be removed, would you like to go back into the modular buildings at Western? From discussions I've heard, the definitive answer would be no! So why should I, as a Glenville parent of two, send my children there? Let's step back and learn from mistakes made in the past. This is not an ideal site. And four years without a gym or cafeteria is unacceptable. Let's put new modular buildings on the Western Greenwich Civic Center site. The building is newly remodeled, and was once a functional school. It's located in the heart of Glenville and has a cafeteria and gym available for use. The problem surrounding this option is cost and delays. The question becomes: What's been the cost with doing it wrong? I'm sure the Hamilton Avenue community can speak volumes about that. With regard to delays, what's more important -- getting the new building started on time, or building an improved interim school for our children to attend for at least two, and most likely three, years? A student conceivably could spend a third of his or her Glenville elementary education (with building delays, it could be half) in modular buildings. Let's wait and do things right! Frank Carbino Greenwich Please see: 04/15/08 - Greenwich RTM Report - RTM Member's Postpone High School Building Committee Appointments, Because Of Heavy Opposition (Updated) More Letters To The Greenwich Time Editor: Controlling immigration is a basic requirement Special-needs school aides have been outstanding Censorship undercuts goal of student newspaper Funds will support important mental health programs Multiple causes for concern with Stanwich plans ========================================== Please send comments, news tips and press releases to GreenwichRoundup@gmail.com “A hundred years from now it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove...but the world may be different because I was important in the life of a child.” Forest E. Witcraft (American Scholar, Teacher and Scout Leader, 1894-1967)

04/15/08 - Hamilton Avenue And Glenville Parents Should Mark Thier Calendars

April 21, 2008

Board of Education Work Session

7:00 PM

Western Middle School, Auditorium

The purpose of this work session is for review and possible action on the Elementary School Relocation Options.

Hamilton Avenue School Facility and Relocation Plan Updates

Link for more information and regular updates

Tools for Schools

Wednesday, April 2, 2008:
3-25-08 Letter from Hygenix, Inc .

Monday, March 31, 2008:
3-31-08 Superintendent Letter to Hamilton Avenue School Parents

Thursday, March 27, 2008:
Bio for Charles Schwartz of Environmental Assessments & Solutions, Inc. (EAS)
EAS response to Request for Proposal (RFP #660-07) - Environment Consulting Services

Wednesday, March 26, 2008:
Hamilton Avenue School Parent Meeting
with First Selectman Peter Tesei, Board of Ed. Chairman Nancy Weissler and Superintendent of Schools Betty J. Sternberg
Western Middle School Auditorium, 7:00 PM

HAS Transportation Frequently Asked Questions (En Español)
3-25-08 Environmental Assessments & Solutions, Inc. Comprehensive Report
Environmental Report Data (A)
Environmental Report Data (B)
Environmental Report Data (C)
Environmental Report Data (D)

Friday, March 14, 2008:
3-14-08 Superintendent Letter to HAS Parents
3-14-08 Superintendent Letter to HAS Parents (En Español)
3-14-08 Superintendent Letter to HAS Teachers

Tuesday, March 18, 2008:
3-18-08 Hamilton Avenue School Facilities and Relocation Plan Update

Thursday, March 13, 2008:
3-13-08 Board of Education Agenda Item: Hamilton Avenue Relocation Plan
The Board of Education ratified the Relocation Plan implemented on March 10, 2008 at their meeting on March 13, 2008. Additional items in this packet include estimated costs, Q&A and the environmental specialist's report to date.

Tuesday, March 11, 2008:
3-11-08 Hamilton Avenue School Facilities and Relocation Plan Update

Monday, March 10, 2008:
3-10-08 Hamilton Avenue School Facilities and Relocation Plan Update

Friday, March 7, 2008:
3-7-08 Hamilton Avenue School Facility and Relocation Plan Update Thursday, March 6, 2008:
3-6-08: Key Event Additions, Schedule Changes

Indoor Air Quality Test Results: Collected February 28, 2008 - Released March 1, 2008
Indoor Air Quality Test Results: Collected March 1, 2008 - Released March 3, 2008
Indoor Air Quality Test Results: Collected March 1, 2008 - Released March 5, 2008

Wednesday, March 5, 2008:
3-5-08 Hamilton Avenue School Facility and Relocation Plan Update (En Español)

HAS/Cos Cob School Parent Relocation Packet (English/Español)
HAS/Glenville School Parent Relocation Packet (English/Español)
HAS/North Street School Parent Relocation Packet (English/Español)
HAS/Old Greenwich School Parent Relocation Packet (English/Español)
HAS/Parkway School Parent Relocation Packet (English/Español)
HAS/Western Middle School Parent Relocation Packet (English/Español)

Monday, March 3, 2008:
Board of Education Emergency Meeting, 7:00 PM - Greenwich High School Auditorium
3-3-08 Hamilton Avenue School Facility and Relocation Plan Update - Powerpoint
Hamilton Avenue School Open House Schedule (En Español)

Sunday, March 2, 2008:
3-2-08 Hamilton Avenue School Facility and Relocation Plan Update (En Español)

Saturday, March 1, 2008:
Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Betty J. Sternberg has announced that Hamilton Avenue School (HAS) at the modulars will be closed as of Monday, March 3, 2008 for one week. In the course of investigating and remediating a roof leak at HAS last night, the environmental consultant identified additional areas of concern. Upon further investigation the consultants discovered mold within the walls and ceiling of a portion of the building. Charles Schwartz, President of Environmental Assessments & Solutions, Inc. the District’s environmental consultant, said, “the problems identified are not related to maintenance issues and there are no indications of impaired air quality.”....more
(en Español)

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03/11/08 - Reader Submitted Comments - BOE Chairman Nancy Weissler Attacks Parents Instead Of Helping The Little Children Of Hamilton Avenue School

More than just 3 Rogue Parents

For the record:

There was a meeting held Wednesday evening for Hamilton Avenue parents who support the demand for their own independent Industrial Hygienist access to the modulars.

36 families were present representing 61 students.

All 36 families contributed to the cost of hiring their own hygienist.

Nancy Weissler had it wrong - it is not just three parents, it is way more than that and the group keeps getting bigger.
======================================
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04/08/08 - Greenwich Time News Update - On Betty Sternberg's "Moldy Dilemma"

Quote:

"The Glenville community would like to stay together and would like to move along with this project on time, so we are looking optimistically at every option that would allow us to do that," said Glenville School parent Deb Klein, who also serves on the Advisory Committee on Facilities

Story:

Updated: April 08, 2008

Closed school gets a close look: Sacred Heart examined as possible relief for moldy dilemma

Greenwich school officials who toured the former Sacred Heart Academy in Stamford yesterday said they found a less than ideal site for temporarily relocating students from Hamilton Avenue and Glenville schools.

"Unfortunately, it would not be a turnkey solution -- there are issues with the building," said Leslie Moriarty, a Board of Education member who heads the Advisory Committee on Facilities. "It can stay on the list, but it's not the answer to all of our issues, as is."

Sacred Heart Academy, which closed a couple of years ago after 82 years in operation, is lacking in some classroom amenities, such as a scarcity of electrical outlets. The building also might need to be brought up to current code requirements before it can be occupied, officials said.

"It's not code-compliant in terms of sprinklers," Moriarty said, adding that the facility also is not wheelchair accessible and because of its layout may not meet state requirements for kindergarten and first grade classes.....

Please Read:

• Comments On - Parents' expert to run mo...
• Now Betty "You Can Trust Me" Sternberg ...
• "My son was in the hardest hit classroo...
• Glenville Parents: Get Your Motors Runn...

Helpful Links For Glenville Parents ....

Please Read Before
Betty "You Can Trust Me" Sternberg
Puts Your Small Children In The Contaminated Modular Classrooms, Without Allowing The Hamilton Avenue School Parents To Conduct Independent And Unfettered Environmental Tests.....

As much as we shake our heads, as much as we snicker, as much as we wag our cynical tongues, this mold stuff is for real.

Soon there may be lawsuits, because Greenwich Public School administrators have not told Parents, Single Family Home Owners And Taxpayers the whole truth.

Please read....

www.moldnews.net/
www.moldmart.net/
http://www.killmold4less.com/
http://www.moldinspector.com/
http://www.certifiedmoldinspectors.com/
http://www.moldinstruction.com/

=========================================

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04/08/08 - "None of us want to unduly alarm the public," said David Bailey, Hood's attorney. "We don't want mothers getting frantic."

Don't panic, says lawyer in lawsuit over mold in Suffolk school ...

The lawyer who helped bring a lawsuit against the city over allegations of dangerous mold problems at an elementary school said Friday that he does not want to panic parents.

Cristina Hood, a fourth-grade teacher at Booker T. Washington Elementary School, filed a lawsuit this week that accuses school and city officials of failing to address dangerous levels of mold that sickened her and some of her students. She is seeking $2.5 million in damages......

....Bailey said he has not spoken to any parents with children at the school or other teachers there.

He also has not sought any school records, he said.

"All of that is down the road, depending on how the court wants to deal with it," Bailey said.

"We have tried to keep this, at the moment, to the situation with Ms. Hood," he added. "And I realize it has much broader implications."....

...Hood was hired at Booker T. Washington last summer to teach about 25 fourth-graders. According to her complaint, she began to suffer itchy eyes within days of beginning work and later developed nasal congestion....,

.... about 20 percent to 30 percent of Hood's students have respiratory problems, watery eyes, allergies, asthma, runny noses, headaches and stomach issues. Hood sends children to the school nurse daily, the complaint said.

=================================

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04/08/08 - Have You Heard About The Westport School Mold Problem And How It Was Initially Handled - Greenwich Parents Should Talk To Westport Parents

State health experts addressed mold issues at A Town Hall meeting on air quality at King’s Highway Elementary School.

Westport, Connecticut, Elementary School portable classroom has high mold spore level

by Meg Learson Grosso

One of the two portable classrooms behind King's Highway Elementary School was closed last week, just one week after it reopened, because it was found to have high levels of mold spores. The other has a clean bill of health and was reopened. Gavin Anderson, chairman of the King's Highway School Maintenance Committee, said the count was about 5,000 mold spore equivalents per cubic meter in the now-closed portable classroom, compared to about 1,700 in the other portable. The "likely" reason for the higher level of mold is the teaching materials, such as sheet music that the music teacher, Sarah Guterman, was unpacking the day the tests were taken, according to Gil Cormier, an air quality expert with Occupational Risk Control Services in New Britain. He was reached by phone on Tuesday night. There has been much speculation among parents and even committee members about who knew what, and when. The following timeline was provided by Anderson and verified by Cormier and others. On Monday, Nov. 26, at a meeting of the King's Highway Elementary School Maintenance Committee, it was revealed that children were having classes in the portable classrooms. Some committee members asked who had approved the opening of the portable classrooms. According to a number of parents present, as well as Joe Strickland, an architect, member of the committee and also chairman of the Public Site and Building Committee, he asked the question and he remembers that Nancy Harris, Assistant Supt. for Business, said, "Gil did," meaning Gil Cormier approved the opening. However, Cormier did not even know that children were in the portable classrooms. According to Cormier, on Monday night, Bill Pecoriello, a parent and member of the King's Highway Maintenance Committee, called Cormier to say that children were now in the portable and he asked Cormier if he could test the rooms, as the school system had previously agreed that Cormier would do. On Tuesday, Cormier tested the portables in the afternoon and when he got back, there was an email from Anderson, sent earlier in the day, which also asked Cormier to test. By Wednesday or Thursday, when children were in those classrooms (as they were on Friday and Monday), Cormier asked Harris if she wanted the laboratory results the fast or slow way. She gave the go-ahead for the more expensive, but quicker results. Cormier said he got those results late Friday afternoon, Nov. 30. He put the results together in a table. Looking at them, he told himself, "the results look odd and it didn't make sense to me." The north portable had shown much worse test results prior to extensive renovations, and now the southern classroom had much worse results. Cormier told himself that possible culprits for a high mold spore level could be the ceiling tiles, or the small amount of insulation that was left in the air handling system. (He had originally pushed for removing all the insulation, but finally settled for allowing ten percent to be left in.) However, the ceiling tiles and insulation were the same in both classrooms, yet there was an elevated level of mold in only one classroom. Cormier remembered that the music teacher, Sarah Guterman, was unpacking materials in the southern portable, the one with the higher mold count, on the day that he did the testing. He also remembered that the music teacher had once taught in the pod that was torn down this past summer because it was riddled with mold. He seemed to remember that her next classroom also had problems. While she has not been in the pod for at least a few years, Cormier said that mold can exist that long. Over the weekend, Cormier left for a long-planned vacation, but on Monday, Dec. 3, he called Harris from Hawaii to tell her that no children should be allowed in the classroom and he sent her an email on Tuesday. He added that the information should be shared with parents and staff, and that the schools should further "assess" the problem to determine the cause. He advised the administrators to have the rooms tested again, after further remediation was done. According to Marge Cion, chair of the Board of Education, the rooms have been retested. The assessment should particularly include the teaching materials, Cormier said. An expert should assess these to determine whether they can be cleaned and saved, or should be thrown out. Cormier said the problem with cleaning porous materials, such as paper, is that the only way to know if the materials are safe afterwards is to test again and that is expensive. "Usually, we recommend that things be thrown out," he said. Cormier also said that the rooms should be examined to see that all the renovations that were recommended were actually done. The ceiling tiles were removed and replaced on Saturday, Dec. 1, as Schools Supt. Dr. Elliott Landon announced at a Board of Education meeting on Dec. 3. Cormier had noticed the day he was testing, Nov. 27, that the ceiling tiles weren't replaced as he had expected they would be during the extensive renovations to the portable classrooms. It seems the fault lay in the recommendations of the Technical Committtee, a sub-committee of the Kings's Highway School Maintenance Committee. That group had inadvertently left replacement of ceiling tiles off the list of repairs that it gave the school system, according to Gavin Anderson, chair of that group. Parent Amanda Gebicki took issue with the way that the news was reported to parents at Kings Highway School, saying that an email was sent from Anderson to parents entitled "Environmental Update from Special Maintenance Sub-Committee." She noted that the email merely said that on Nov. 27, air samples showed "elevated readings" for the southern of the two modulars. She took issue with the fact that mold was not mentioned, nor the extent of the mold. She said that when Staples High School was found to have mold, earlier in the year, Dr. Landon emailed the parents and informed them that mold was present and said that steps were being taken to remediate it. "I don't know why the parents at King's Highway are not afforded the same candor," said Gebicki. The parent said she emailed Anderson and "I questioned whether it was a full and accurate disclosure." Reached by phone on Tuesday evening, Anderson said that he phrased the email the way he did because, "I didn't want to frighten anybody." Gebicki said of the administration's opening the portables without the approval of Cormier: "My big problem is that they gambled. They knew that a critical step had not been taken in remediation (replacement of ceiling tiles), and they knew that Gil had not issued an approval for re-occupancy. They gambled with the health of the children." Gebicki noted that two years ago, a report done by a company called AMC Technology in September of 2006 said that porous materials must be decontaminated or disposed of. "They got the report, but did not go back and decontaminate them," she said. Parent Lauren Tarshis said that the reopening of the portables without an expert's inspection is "another example of why, even with an expert on hand, the administration did not follow the protocols." Anderson noted in his email that "It is worth noting that the school maintenance division have responded quickly and efficiently to countless repair and remediation needs at the school throughout the last three months, and a great deal of positive work has been completed." He also noted that during the three days that the classroom was open "individual student exposure to whatever levels of airborne contaminants" was likely to be minimal, since students were not there for the entire day or for extended periods." ALSO: Heated Meeting on King’s Highway Mold at Town Hall By Linda Alvkall It was a heated meeting Wednesday night at Westport Town Hall as many parents expressed anger and concern about the air quality at King’s Highway Elementary School. So many Westporters showed up that the meeting first scheduled for room 309 had to be moved to the Town Hall auditorium. Brendan Reilly, a concerned parent who has two children at the school, was upset that his son’s asthma has worsened due to what he said was mold in his classroom. “Fourteen out of 19 children in one classroom have symptoms,” Reilly said. “The sickness of these children is the most important thing.” More "Heated Meeting on King’s Highway Mold at Town Hall" But There Is Even More Westport School Mold News: Remediation Costs at KHS Topped $250K Westport-News - Apr 2, 2008 In a final 84-page report released on Wednesday by Westport First Selectman Gordon F. Joseloff, Gavin Anderson, chairman of the special committee, ... Reservations on KHS final report Westport Minuteman - Mar 27, 2008 ... to investigate mold and air quality. Parents said his report "has been delayed by an undisclosed conflict between the Westport school administration and ... Dispute delays report on mold Westport Minuteman, - Mar 13, 2008 A dispute between the Westport schools' administration and air quality consultant Gil Cormier of Occupational Risk Control Services in New Britain, ... Carbon Dioxide Levels Reduced at KHS Westport-News - Mar 14, 2008 By Frank Luongo Carbon dioxide at the King's Highway Elementary School (KHS) in Westport has been significantly reduced in a number of classrooms that... ======================================= Please send comments to GreenwichRoundup@gmail.com

04/08/08 - Here Are Some More Oldie Moldie School Lawsuit News Stories

San Benito schools’ mold lawsuit settled

The Valley Morning Star (September 2, 2004).

SAN BENITO, Texas — Three years after two San Benito campuses were rid of mold, the company that installed the school district’s heating and cooling systems has agreed to pay the school district $15 million.

Honeywell International Inc.’s $15 million settlement falls short of the $180 million in damages and attorney fees that the school district was seeking in a lawsuit that was headed to trial this week.

But School Board President Oscar De La Fuente, Jr., said that the settlement would cover a $7 million loan to pay for the mold remediation and save the district legal fees from a prolonged lawsuit.

The money will also cover $729,000 the district has paid in interest on the two-year-old loan, and attorney fees whose percentage is still being worked out, schools interim superintendent Antonio Limon said.

"We will break even with this settlement," he said.

First National Bank of Edinburg had given the loan, which had to be renewed every year and did not allow for payment on the principal, Limon added.

The school district alleged in its 2002 lawsuit that Honeywell installed and mismanaged faulty heating and cooling systems at SBCISD from 1994 to 2001.

A November arbitration in Minnesota was going to decide the outcome of the litigation involving mold cases at Bertha Cabaza Middle and Dr. Raul Garza Elementary schools, where most of the mold was found and cleaned up.

Limon said that the mold consultant had given all 13 campuses a "clean bill of health" and that he did not anticipate any future substantial cost in mold clean up.

A statement issued by the company stated that there was no basis to the school district’s allegations of fraud and that "we believe that we would have prevailed at trial."

The statement added that no mold was found in any of these schools and that the school board has not done any mold remediation over the last 2 years since moisture concerns were raised.

"Honeywell had a successful working relationship with the San Benito schools for more than eight years," the statement adds. "All along this case was shaped by the district’s mold consultant, Assured Indoor Air Quality."

The statement said that the mold consultant gained millions of dollars to assess the cause of moisture in the schools and resolve the problem.

Here Is Another School Mold Lawsuit:

Professor Files Lawsuit, Says Mold In Classroom Is Making Her Sick ...

COCOA, Fla. -- A Brevard Community College professor is suing the college, because she says her classroom was full of mold, making her constantly sick.

Carolyn Hayes has been teaching at Brevard Community College for 11 years, until, she says, the mold got so bad she couldn't take it anymore.....

...."You can't breathe and it's hard to get air out and you wheeze and your ribcage hurts," she says....

More Mold Contamination News Stories:

• Mold, Mildew Found Growing Inside Portable Classrooms
• Residents Say Moldy Apartments Are Making Them Sick
• Mold Suspected Of Making Corrections Officers Sick

ALSO PLEASE READ THIS....

Jury awards $375K in mold lawsuit against Housing Authority of ...

Three people with disabilities were awarded a little more than $375,000 yesterday in their negligence action against their landlord, the Housing Authority of Baltimore City, over mold and fungi in their apartments.

Johnnie Pratt, Louise Bills and Mary Roy lived in Homewood House, in East Baltimore's Midway community...

Mold-Help.org: Mold blamed in health issues; $100 million lawsuit ...

Written by: Howard Breuer
Pasadena Star News

11/09/03

Pasadena, CA - Something awful is happening to children at the Kings Villages housing complex, says longtime tenant Annie Williams.

Many wake in the night with heavy nosebleeds, and have asthma so bad their mothers keep breathing machines by their beds....

Maryland toxic mold lawsuit verdict $270000 | Legal News & Updates ...

On October 30, 2006, a Maryland toxic mold lawsuit filed in St. Mary’s County resulted in a verdict of $270,000. The claim was filed against a landlord by individuals who were injured by mold in the home they rented.

The toxic mold lawsuit was filed because the landlords failed to fulfill their obligation to respond to the renters’ requests for repairs and failed to maintain the property in a reasonably safe condition. The law suit, which was filed by Maryland lawyer Scott Nevin, indicates that the renters told the landlord of a water problem which developed in the rental home, but adequate repairs were never completed. They claimed that the water problem led to mold, fungus and other toxic substances in the home...

04/06/08 - "My son was in the hardest hit classroom," Laura DiBella said. "I want to find out what they found in there."

Leslie Moriarty, speaks from her board of education throne.

Quote:

"If they are going to limit our tester to places that we need to have tested, we have a concern with that," said Laura DiBella, a Hamilton Avenue School parent who had lobbied for an independently hired expert to perform the tests. "Our tester should be allowed to test where their tester tested."

Story:

Parents' expert to run mold tests

Reversing a decision that earned them much criticism, school officials have agreed to allow a parent-hired expert to run environmental tests on the Hamilton Avenue School modular buildings.

The Board of Education, which has hired its own environmental hygienist, recently told Hamilton Avenue School parents that their own expert would be allowed to run tests in the modular building. But their hygienist will be restricted to certain areas, a condition that does not sit well with some parents....

Betty "You Can Trust Me" Sternberg And
Leslie "I Am Full Of Crap" Moriarty
Are Continuing To Mishandle And Cover Up The Hamilton Avenue Classroom Contamination Situation.

Leslie Moriarty, a Board of Education member, said that disturbing mold-infested areas, such as in the roof eaves or inside the walls, in order to perform tests could help to spread the mold. Officials don't want the mold spores to spread to other parts of the modular building because they want to leave open the possibility of remediating the situation and reusing the structure.

"The concern is that when you open the wall and disturb the space, it comes into the building," Moriarty said. "An option is to reuse the building and so we don't want to make that job more difficult."

But parents, such as DiBella, said that the whole point of the resetting was to confirm that the earlier tests done by the school-hired hygienist were accurate and that the mold infestation presents no health hazards.

Please Read More About Leslie "I Am Full Of Crap" Moriarty....

Full Story

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A true terror alert, would be to wake up one morning and to find out the Greenwich Board Of Education is running the country.

- Reader Submitted Comment

04/06/08 - Glenville Parents: Get Your Motors Running And Head Out On The Highway.

The Yellow School Bus Blues
Hopefully, Glenville Students Will "Arrive Alive" If Greenwich School Buses Have To Fly Down I-95 To Get To Their Stamford School On Time

Quote:

"This is the ONLY school building that has come available," said Leslie "I Am Full Of Crap" Moriarty, a Board of Education member.

Story:

Educators eye Stamford campus

Greenwich educators will tour the shuttered Sacred Heart Academy in Stamford tomorrow to see whether Hamilton Avenue or Glenville school could temporarily relocate there...

...Since then, they have been trying to sell the Strawberry Hill Road property, saying they did not want to go through the trouble of leasing the school. But their real estate broker recently told Greenwich officials that leasing remains an option, officials said. The broker and educators have scheduled a tour of the building to see whether it is big enough for Hamilton Avenue or Glenville school students and staff. Sister Sally Hodgdon, president of the order, said she had no comment on Greenwich's interest, adding the order has not discussed leasing the academy.

"The property is for sale -- that's all we can say right now," Hodgdon said.

Greenwich officials also said it is too early to know whether the academy is large enough for their needs or that parents and students would be accepting of the commute between western Greenwich and Stamford. Busing would be available, though the trip would be long.

"Clearly transportation is a big question mark," said Chris Winters, director of curriculum, instruction and professional learning. "Parents would have to drive the route themselves and think 'Is this something they would want?

Please read more about what Betty "You Can Trust Me" Sternberg And Leslie "I Am Full Of Crap" Moriatty has planned for the little children of Glenville School....

Full Story

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“Public school is a place of detention for children placed in the care of teachers who are afraid of the principal, principals who are afraid of the school board, school boards who are afraid of the parents, parents who are afraid of the children, and children who are afraid of nobody.”

04/03/08 - Greenwich Post News Headlines

Pesticide ban to come early in Greenwich?

With the state poised to extend the ban of pesticide use from elementary schools to middle schools in summer 2009, Greenwich is considering getting a year’s head start.

Blue skies ahead for Greenwich after studio move is set

Blue Sky Studios’ move from White Plains, N.Y., to Greenwich is a go after the state Bond Commission approved an $8-million loan last Friday.

Parents demand independent review of mold in modulars

Hamilton Avenue parents, charging that the Board of Education and district administration have not been open and transparent, are demanding their own mold expert be allowed to thoroughly examine the modular classrooms their children used for close to three years.

03/31/08 - "What irks me about the formaldehyde is it could be a good five years before my kids get diagnosed,"

Why Doesn't School Board Member Leslie Moriarty Want The Hamilton Avenue School Parents To Independently Test The Contaminated Modular Classrooms?

Quote:

"We believe the protocol that has been used for the environmental testing is really high quality and we welcome any specialist you would like to bring to sit down with the specialist (who has) been in the building and has done the test to review the protocol and the methods involved and I think you would be satisfied," Board of Education member Leslie Moriarty told parents at a meeting Thursday.

HEADLINE:

Kids' health worries parents (Click Here For The Full Story)

By Hoa Nguyen
Greenwich Time - Staff Writer

Gina DeMartis' son had constant headaches and occasional nose bleeds. Mina Bibeault's daughter complained of frequent headaches and burning eyes, while her son often had a runny nose. Donna Ortoli's son also suffered from similar health ailments.

These three Hamilton Avenue School parents are among those worried that their children's health symptoms are linked to conditions at the modular school building. Officials shut down the school last month after officials found a significant mold infestation in the roof eaves and crawl space.

"My child has a cold now, is it related?" DeMartis asked. "Maybe the mold spores are on the books they got from the classroom? You don't know what to believe anymore."

With Hamilton Avenue School students dispersed to different schools across the town, parents are calling on the Board of Education to allow their own experts into the moldy modular buildings to perform their own tests and investigation....

"If the Board of Ed has nothing to hide, they should allow us in," Mina Bibeault said. "Board of Ed, if you feel 120-percent confident in your results, you should roll out the red carpet."

...Another indoor air quality specialist also not connected to the Hamilton Avenue School testing said there are no hard and fast rules.

"It's very hard to comment because there's no one size fits all answer," said Paula Schenck, assistant director of the Farmington-based Center for Indoor Environments and Health at the University of Connecticut. "You have to look at the individual situation."

She said while mold is easily cleaned from some furniture, particularly metal, it is more difficult to rid from paper and other organic materials. Schenck said that while some small amount of mold can be naturally occuring indoors, it should be kept to an absolutely minimum.

"It's complicated because what you don't want is mold growing on materials inside," Schenck said. "Mold is a very normal part of our ecology but you don't want it growing inside. It's not a healthy environment inside."

In addition to mold, parents also fear the presence of formaldehyde in the modulars. Schwartz said the chemical is present in ultra-low concentrations, but parents also dispute that finding and want their own tests. Formaldehyde causes cancer in lab animals and may cause cancer in humans, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

"What irks me about the formaldehyde is it could be a good five years before my kids get diagnosed," Bibeault said.

PLEASE READ:

03/05/08 - The Unionized (Teamstewrs) School District Custodial Staff Are Suggesting That There Might Be A School District Coverup At Ham Ave School

03/12/08 - Why Was It Ok To Remove Dumpsters Of Contaminated Plywood, But Not OK To Remove School Desks And Chairs?

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03/27/08 - As Seen In The Greenwich Citizen: A Letter To The Editor About Betty "You Can Trust Me" Sternberg

Hey, Hey ... Ho, Ho

Betty Sternberg Has To go

WOW !!!!

Take A Look At How Mad, Wild And Crazy Julie Koullas

Is In These 100% Legal Fair Use Greenwich Citizen Exerpts.....

Ham Ave. Students Short-Changed

Can you believe the BOE is too cheap to buy the displaced Hamilton Ave. Pre-K students some toys, etc.? The North Street School PTA has taken upon itself to ask for donations of these items. This is not the first request the North Street School parents have had for donations. First it was books, now toys......

......It's deplorable that in the town of Greenwich the Ham Ave. students keep getting the short end of the stick. If I was a parent of Hamilton School, I would be banging on Betty Sternberg's door with rage or picketing outside her office window.

Greenwich Citizen

© Hearst Communications Inc.

The Greenwich BOE had better watch out for

Julie "Let's Bang On Betty's Door" Koullas

Please Also Read...

03/26/08 - Things that make you go "hmmmmmmmmm?"

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03/21/08 - Your representation that I stated or implied this situation was due to any design or construction flaw is 100 percent false.

Letters from readers

To the editor:

The Modular Building Institute requests a correction to the errors and misstated comments in the article "Modular flaws went undetected," appearing in the March 17 issue of Greenwich Time. As the spokesman for the industry, I provided impartial facts concerning the "process" regarding approval of modular classrooms, but did not make any specific comments regarding the Connecticut school situation. To prevent my comments from being misrepresented again, I'd like to offer the following:

Mold does not discriminate regarding which type of classroom it chooses to grow in. It can and does occur in traditional classrooms as well as modular classrooms. In fact, the reason temporary classrooms were placed in this school district in the first place was due to mold found in the original school building.

Your representation that I stated or implied this situation was due to any design or construction flaw is 100 percent false and has been printed despite my objections.

We have stated on the record that there are many parties involved in the classroom construction process, from architects to engineers to inspectors to maintenance personnel. All the facts must be obtained before any conclusions are drawn in this situation.

In short, the entire article is misleading and inaccurate. When your writer contacted me with quotes she planned to use for this story, I replied to her in writing that same day that the "quotes" were misleading and that I had no knowledge of the specifics of this situation and couldn't comment on it. She chose to ignore my concerns and build her entire story around misrepresentations. The managing editor told me himself today that he supports the writer's "rephrasing" of my comments. In my opinion, this is a really sad commentary on the state of journalism.

How can a newspaper stand behind an article taken primarily from one source when that source notifies you ahead of time that what is going to press is inaccurate? Your readers should know the full story.

Our non-profit association will continue to provide schools and parents with information they can use to ensure that their children are in safe, comfortable learning environments, and we ask that your readers visit our Web site to get accurate and complete information.

Tom Hardiman

Charlottesville, Va.

The writer is executive director of the Modular Building Institute.

(Editor's note: Greenwich Time stands behind the accuracy of the story.)

See Also:

03/17/08 - "It's not just one classroom, it's the whole school," Tom Hardman of the Modular Building Institute said, "It's a bad situation all around.

03/20/08 - Why Won't Betty "You Can Trust Me" Sternberg Let Hamilton Avenue Parents Independently Test The Contaminated Modular Classrooms?

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"Free speech is the whole thing, the whole ball game. Free speech is life itself."
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