Superintendent: HVAC units under forensic review; Arthur Rand students to remain relocated through end of school year

GALLOWAY TOWNSHIP — Superintendent Santilli told the Galloway Township Board of Education on April 13 that remediation is underway at Arthur Rand Elementary following two recent fires and that the district has removed suspect HVAC units for forensic examination.

"We know what the source was. It was these new HVAC units," Santilli said, while adding that "the cause within that source is what's still to be determined." He described a March 30 onsite operation in which district staff, the business administrator, facilities manager, the architect, engineers and manufacturer representatives photographed, wrapped and removed the units to a warehouse for expert analysis.

Santilli said testing and clearance have been completed for large portions of the back of the building — the grades 4–6 area, a middle hallway and the gym — which he described as "probably almost 50% of the building" now cleared. Remaining front areas, including the cafeteria, front hallway, library and main office, are still under remediation.

To reduce disruption, Santilli announced that "for the remainder of the year, all the students in Arthur Rand and staff are going to remain in their current locations," noting roughly 45 school days remained in the academic year. He said that decision considered environmental testing and the psychological impacts on students and staff of returning to an active construction/remediation site.

The district has arranged pickup dates (April 1, 2, 9 and 10) for parents to retrieve sealed and bagged student belongings. Santilli said the industrial hygienist provided written guidance for cleaning or discarding items removed from lockers. He added that sealed instruments located far from the fire source were cleaned and either returned to families or replaced by the vendor, and that instrumental lessons were expected to resume the following week with Ms. Cunningham.

Santilli credited neighboring districts and community partners for temporary support: he said the district secured approximately 250 individual student desks on loan from Greater Egg and additional desks from Holy Spirit to replace folding tables at the Pomona relocation for grades 4–6.

Next steps include the forensic examination of the removed HVAC units by electrical engineers and manufacturer experts to determine the internal cause, continued remediation of front-building spaces, and phased rebuilding work in cleared areas. Santilli said he would continue to communicate timelines carefully, noting many elements are vendor- and contractor-dependent.

The board acknowledged the update and did not ask follow-up questions at the public meeting. The district also noted that letters will go to Arthur Rand families via email and text with the same information shared at the meeting.