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Roof repairs and mold concerns spur air-quality testing; committee urges long-term plan
Summary
Facilities staff repaired a damaged roof section and ordered additional air-quality tests after parent and staff concerns about water damage and possible mold; committee members urged beginning a multi-year process to replace aging buildings rather than keep investing in costly patches.
Facilities staff told the school committee that a 12-foot section of the MKG roof that had been leaking was repaired after winter delays and that the district has initiated an additional round of air-quality tests to address community concerns about mold.
"Our preliminary physical inspections and air-quality tests haven't supported those claims," said Andy, the facilities representative, who noted that the district ordered lab tests to "get the speculation out of the air." He said those results typically take "a couple weeks."
Parents and staff described ceiling stains and leaks in several classrooms. Committee and facilities leaders emphasized that maintenance uses green cleaning products because some standard cleaners can irritate students and that mold remediation is handled by maintenance staff following protocol.
Committee members pressed for clearer communication about fixes and timelines. "It's time for a new building," said Allan, echoing other members who urged beginning a long-term capital process rather than repeatedly making expensive temporary repairs. Officials estimated a full roof replacement could be "over $3 million."
Facilities staff also stressed the importance of the SchoolDude ticketing system to track and prioritize repairs and asked principals and staff to use it so maintenance can respond more quickly.
The committee will share test results with principals and the union when lab reports arrive and continue to monitor repairs and prioritized capital planning.
