THE JOURNAL & TOPICS NEWSPAPERS | WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2008
Gemini Students Sent Elsewhere Due To Flood
By TOM ROBB
Journal & Topics Reporter
East Maine Elementary School Dist. 63's Gemini Jr. High School saw major flood damage that exposed asbestos and wreaked havoc on the area last week.
The school will remain closed for the next two to three weeks as children are sent to other district schools to attend classes.
An emergency public meeting was scheduled to be held last (Tuesday) night at the district's Donald C. Stetina Educational Services Center in unincorporated Maine Township to discuss asbestos abatement for the school.
Rushing waters during the weekend of Sept. 13 and 14 filled the first floor of the school "lifting" carpeting and underlying floor areas exposing asbestos in the carpet glue.
A letter to parents said, "We were informed Thursday, Sept. 18 that the mastic (carpet glue) contained asbestos. While this is highly unusual, nonetheless a problem now exists."
According to Supt. Kathleen Williams, air in the school was tested on Friday, Sept. 19 by RCM Environmental Regulatory Compliance Management, an environmental health and safety services company. It was found to be free 100% free of asbestos.
District officials have quarantined the area restricting all personnel from the first floor and only letting some district staff in the building's second floor briefly to retrieve materials while clean up takes place.
Dist. 63 officials have set a plan in motion to hold classes for Gemini's 775 students at other schools for the next several weeks until clean up is completed.
Students were re-assigned to other district schools by team. The Achievers team is attending class at the Washington School, the All Starts team is attending Nelson, the Dreamers team is attending Melzer, the Prodigy team is attending Apollo, the Zenith team is attending Mark Twain and select students, whose parents were contacted, are attending Stevenson.
School district Supervisor of Operations and Maintenance Daniel Barrie said the first day of rerouting students last Monday went smoothly.
Barrie said damage costs were in the hundreds of thousands of dollars and could reach $1 million but would all be covered by insurance.