Dayton Daily News education reporter Scott Elliott writes about schools, kids, teaching and learning.
Home > Blogs > Get on the Bus > Archives > 2007 > July > 30 > Entry
School to move after chemical spill
(Students and staff at Van Cleve at McGuffey Elementary School during a 2006 backpack giveaway.)
Dayton Superintendent Percy Mack announced Monday that Van Cleve at McGuffey School, at 1032 Webster St., will close and the students and staff will relocate to the former Allen Elementary School building at 132 Alaska St. to protect against air vapors from a nearby chemical spill.
The move will mean school will start a week later for Van Cleve students, who will begin classes on Aug. 13.
Since last October, the Environmental Protection Agency has been testing in the area of the school and monitoring the movement of a plume of trichloroethylene, a product used for dry cleaning and metal cleaning. The source of the spill is believed to be the former DailmerChrysler plant now owned by Behr Dayton Thermodynamics Products, 1600 Webster St.
July testing showed elevated levels of the vapors from the spill in the school. When the district was advised to install a venting system to expel the vapors from the school, Mack said he decided instead to move. The EPA will install the seven-fan venting system anyway and Rafael Gonzalez, community involvement coordinator for the agency’s Chicago office, said the building would be safe for public use.
“We are very sensitive to the perception of building safety,” said Mack, noting that the tests did not show any immediate danger to people in the school but that the long term effects of exposure are not known.
“We want to give parents, and ourselves, peace of mind,” Mack said. “The safety of our students is of the utmost importance to us.”
Exposure to high levels of trichloroethylene over a long period can cause nerve, kidney and liver damage.
Allen Elementary School was closed in June as part of a cost-cutting plan in the wake of the district’s failed school levy and the building was scheduled to sit vacant this school year.
The is the second time in five years that Van Cleve school has been forced to move because of environmental concerns. During Thanksgiving break in 2001, Van Cleve moved from its Helen Street location to the former McGuffey Elementary School site after serious roof leaks caused mold to spread.
Van Cleve is not planned for reconstruction as part of the district’s school construction program. Its students eventually will attend Kiser, E.J. Brown and Ruskin elementary schools.
(Image credit: Jan Underwood, DDN)
Permalink | Comments (1) | Categories: Dayton Public Schools
Comments
By Nancy
July 30, 2007 5:35 PM | Link to this
These VanCleve kids just cannot catch a break! I’m happy to hear, though, that they found a home for them.