From the BCCT.
Who is thinking the decision to close was WRONG? It was absolutely the right thing to do.
Official: Closing school was correct response
Asbestos might have been released when a worker breached a wall at Morrisville Middle/Senior High School. Testing later showed the school was safe.
By MANASEE WAGH
The Morrisville School District did the right thing by closing a school Tuesday, an official said Wednesday.
By making sure no asbestos was present in the air after a contractor accidentally drilled into an asbestos-containing wall, the school followed federal regulations, said borough code enforcement officer Robert Seward.
“We communicated with each other to make sure everything was done,” he said.
After discovering that asbestos may have escaped from behind a wall that had been breached by a worker, students in the Morrisville Middle/Senior High School were sent home until further tests by Environmental Connection of Trenton revealed no danger.
School was back on schedule Wednesday morning.
According to a report by the firm, all surface samples came back showing zero detection of asbestos. The 21 air samples taken at various locations throughout the high school revealed far lower asbestos levels than the Environmental Protection Agency’s safe clearance levels, said Richard Beach, the company’s vice president.
Licensed asbestos abatement contractor Bristol Environmental isolated and cleaned up the affected area Tuesday afternoon. The team performed “proactive” cleaning, including vacuuming areas adjacent to the work site with a special filter and wet-wiping surfaces, according to Environmental Connection’s report.
“However, in the future, renovations should be performed in such a manner as to eliminate impact to (asbestos-containing material),” the firm’s report concludes. It also advises using a licensed abatement contractor to perform future tasks that would impact any asbestos-containing material.
The report is posted on the district Web site at www.mv.org and is available for public viewing at the district business office, at 550 West Palmer Street in Morrisville, Superintendent Elizabeth Yonson said Tuesday.
Beach said he wants parents to know that federal regulations mandate that all school districts adhere to strict rules when it comes to dealing with asbestos, a hazardous substance linked to cancer.
“I found it somewhat hard to believe it’s been 21 years since the inception of the AHERA program and yet many parents are unaware that this program is out there and there are (asbestos) management plans for every school district throughout the country,” said Beach.
The federal Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act of 1986 requires all school districts to perform periodic surveillance and inspection of known or suspected asbestos-containing building material. They also must provide yearly notification to parents, teachers and employee organizations about the district’s asbestos management plan and any asbestos abatement planned in a school.
Numerous old buildings contain the fibrous natural mineral, which was used as insulation for many years before its dangers were known. If microscopic particles become airborne, they can lodge in the lungs and cause cancer, although that is most common among people who have worked with the substance for an extended period.
“The thing with asbestos is that it’s fine as long as it’s not airborne,” Beach said.
Seward said, “The biggest worry you’d have to watch out for is your older boilers and things of that nature. Hot water pipes are wrapped with asbestos. You have to make sure they’re not flaking off.”
This summer, the high school is set to undergo boiler renovations. If asbestos is found, workers would have to encapsulate or remove it, following strict procedures, and transport it safely to a landfill, said Beach.
The newspaper was unsuccessful in reaching Yonson on Wednesday for comment.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Merger Talk: Eastampton
From the BCCT.
This is from New Jersey, but could be written from downtown Morrisville.
Eastampton eyes school regionalization
By MARK ZIMMARO
Burlington County Times
EASTAMPTON — At a Township Council meeting on Monday, school board members informed residents of the possibility their district could be one of many statewide to be regionalized and consolidated in the near future.
About 150 residents gathered at the Eastampton Community School to listen
to updates on the regionalization plan that is to be completed by Executive County Superintendent Lester Richens by March 2010. The meeting was moved to the school from the Eastampton Manor House to accommodate the large crowd.
Eastampton Board of Education President Sue Taylor led the discussion at
the council meeting to inform residents about the plan, which is in its early stages.
The council did not take any action on the matter, since the presentation was intended to inform the public about the possibility that the district could be consolidated, Taylor said.
“The reason for the meeting [Monday] night was to talk to council and the public and encourage people to get out and be informed of what’s going on,” she said.
Taylor was chosen to participate on a task force organized by Richens. One member from each of the county’s 42 school districts was selected to participate on the task force, which will consult directly with Richens regarding the process.
According to Taylor, Richens’ objective is to develop a plan that will create prekindergarten to grade 12 school districts throughout the county, each housing approximately 5,000 students.
According to Richens, only Burlington Township, Moorestown, Pemberton
Township and Willingboro fit that model. The plan is expected to provide an overall cost savings in the operation of the schools but it hasn’t been determined which districts would be affected.
Richens will submit his plan to Commissioner of Education Lucille Davy by March 2010. The plan then will be accepted, rejected or amended and sent back to
each town. Voters will determine if they feel the plan best suits their town.
“For instance, if they want to combine the [Rancocas Valley] district, all five sending towns would have to agree or it won’t go through,” Taylor said.
The concern among Eastampton residents is the Eastampton Community
School, which is less than two years old and is the only school in the district.
“We just fought for the new school and we’re paying a lot of taxes on it,” said resident Tracy Fitzgerald. “We also don’t want to have to bus our kids out of the community to go to school. We have an awesome little town here where everybody knows everybody and we want to keep it that way.”
The school board is encouraging residents to attend a regionalization meeting next Wednesday at 7 p.m. in the Eastampton Community School cafetorium.
“We’re trying to get the word out there to people and try to let other towns know that this is going on,” Taylor said. “I think other neighboring towns like Lumberton and Hainesport are starting to hear about this and it will be interesting to see what other sending districts have to say.”
This is from New Jersey, but could be written from downtown Morrisville.
Eastampton eyes school regionalization
By MARK ZIMMARO
Burlington County Times
EASTAMPTON — At a Township Council meeting on Monday, school board members informed residents of the possibility their district could be one of many statewide to be regionalized and consolidated in the near future.
About 150 residents gathered at the Eastampton Community School to listen
to updates on the regionalization plan that is to be completed by Executive County Superintendent Lester Richens by March 2010. The meeting was moved to the school from the Eastampton Manor House to accommodate the large crowd.
Eastampton Board of Education President Sue Taylor led the discussion at
the council meeting to inform residents about the plan, which is in its early stages.
The council did not take any action on the matter, since the presentation was intended to inform the public about the possibility that the district could be consolidated, Taylor said.
“The reason for the meeting [Monday] night was to talk to council and the public and encourage people to get out and be informed of what’s going on,” she said.
Taylor was chosen to participate on a task force organized by Richens. One member from each of the county’s 42 school districts was selected to participate on the task force, which will consult directly with Richens regarding the process.
According to Taylor, Richens’ objective is to develop a plan that will create prekindergarten to grade 12 school districts throughout the county, each housing approximately 5,000 students.
According to Richens, only Burlington Township, Moorestown, Pemberton
Township and Willingboro fit that model. The plan is expected to provide an overall cost savings in the operation of the schools but it hasn’t been determined which districts would be affected.
Richens will submit his plan to Commissioner of Education Lucille Davy by March 2010. The plan then will be accepted, rejected or amended and sent back to
each town. Voters will determine if they feel the plan best suits their town.
“For instance, if they want to combine the [Rancocas Valley] district, all five sending towns would have to agree or it won’t go through,” Taylor said.
The concern among Eastampton residents is the Eastampton Community
School, which is less than two years old and is the only school in the district.
“We just fought for the new school and we’re paying a lot of taxes on it,” said resident Tracy Fitzgerald. “We also don’t want to have to bus our kids out of the community to go to school. We have an awesome little town here where everybody knows everybody and we want to keep it that way.”
The school board is encouraging residents to attend a regionalization meeting next Wednesday at 7 p.m. in the Eastampton Community School cafetorium.
“We’re trying to get the word out there to people and try to let other towns know that this is going on,” Taylor said. “I think other neighboring towns like Lumberton and Hainesport are starting to hear about this and it will be interesting to see what other sending districts have to say.”
Merger Talk: Pottstown/Pottsgrove
From the Pottstown Mercury.
Replace Pottstown and Pottsgrove with Morrisville and Pennsbury, in whatever direction you want. Wouldn't the story be the same?
Pottsgrove cool to merging with Pottstown
Wednesday, February 11, 2009 1:53 PM EST
By Evan Brandt
The Pottsgrove School Board has no immediate interest in having talks with their Pottstown counterparts about consolidating the two school districts.
As part of his budget proposal, Gov. Ed Rendell has proposed consolidating Pennsylvania's 501 school districts down to 100.
The issue had been raised locally on both sides of the border in connection with the fact that both districts are embarking on expensive school renovation programs.
Last Thursday, Pottstown School Board member Robert Hartman said he contacted Pottsgrove School Board President Michael Neiffer so see if there was any interest in having a joint meeting to explore the possibility of consolidation.
The Pottsgrove board's response? Essentially, "let's wait and see what the state does."
Comments
The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of pottsmerc.com.
rciffo wrote on Feb 11, 2009 7:48 PM:
" All a merger will do is cause a smaller group to manage a larger organization. Big mistake...loss of local autonomy. When I last checked Pottstown spent ~$15K/student and Pottsgrove ~$13.5K/student. All you rocket scientists out there...guess what will happen to Pottsgrove spending. Yep, it'll be raised to match Pottstown's. And guess how much of it will go to solve Pottstown issues? Probably all of it. (And all of you whiners who like to write your complaints in crayon, I'm not saying Pottsgrove is perfect...far from it.) Here's hoping Fast Eddie Rendell doesn't figure out a way to ram it down our collective throats. "
Replace Pottstown and Pottsgrove with Morrisville and Pennsbury, in whatever direction you want. Wouldn't the story be the same?
Pottsgrove cool to merging with Pottstown
Wednesday, February 11, 2009 1:53 PM EST
By Evan Brandt
The Pottsgrove School Board has no immediate interest in having talks with their Pottstown counterparts about consolidating the two school districts.
As part of his budget proposal, Gov. Ed Rendell has proposed consolidating Pennsylvania's 501 school districts down to 100.
The issue had been raised locally on both sides of the border in connection with the fact that both districts are embarking on expensive school renovation programs.
Last Thursday, Pottstown School Board member Robert Hartman said he contacted Pottsgrove School Board President Michael Neiffer so see if there was any interest in having a joint meeting to explore the possibility of consolidation.
The Pottsgrove board's response? Essentially, "let's wait and see what the state does."
Comments
The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of pottsmerc.com.
rciffo wrote on Feb 11, 2009 7:48 PM:
" All a merger will do is cause a smaller group to manage a larger organization. Big mistake...loss of local autonomy. When I last checked Pottstown spent ~$15K/student and Pottsgrove ~$13.5K/student. All you rocket scientists out there...guess what will happen to Pottsgrove spending. Yep, it'll be raised to match Pottstown's. And guess how much of it will go to solve Pottstown issues? Probably all of it. (And all of you whiners who like to write your complaints in crayon, I'm not saying Pottsgrove is perfect...far from it.) Here's hoping Fast Eddie Rendell doesn't figure out a way to ram it down our collective throats. "
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