Francis Howell North odor persists; contractors, district increase testing as staff report illnesses

Francis Howell R-III trustees and contractors outlined an intensified investigation into a recurring, intermittent sewer-like odor at Francis Howell North, after staff and some students reported headaches and other health problems.

The update came Thursday from Matt Frank, project director for SM Wilson, and Salim Stutzer, the district's director of facilities and operations, who told the Board of Education the smell has been reported intermittently since the building opened and has resisted earlier fixes.

District and contractor leaders said why it matters: staff and students have experienced symptoms and some employees have sought medical attention, and the odor has intermittently closed parts of the school. The district said it has spent staff time and contractor resources investigating and that the odor's intermittency makes it difficult to reproduce and identify.

Frank described the sequence of work since December: crews cleared a major clog in an exterior sewer main that briefly reduced the odor; crews then inspected exterior and interior sewer lines with camera…