Email 11/18/03 from Bob Sullivan - an update about Forest Park
We were called back to work last Wed. 11/12 even after notices had gone home to all the parents the previous Fri. 11/7 telling them that there would be no school on Wed. 11/12. James Larisa from OSHA had told the media that Forest Park would not return until the roof was done. However, on Mon. 11/10 in the late afternoon while we were at SORICO having one of our PD days, Dr. Halley called and told Bob Vincze, principal, that we would be returning on Wed. 11/12 as the weather was to be rainy, as well as windy, and therefore the roofing co. couldn't work. We went in to school on Wed. 11/12 and several of the rooms smelled of the glue so the children sat with their coats on, all windows were opened, and the heat was boosted up to 80 degrees to keep us there. James Larisa had not been notified that we were going to be in session and he had not come to check our air quality. Just NK maintenance people had cleaned up the wing that had been roofed (not professionals), the debris that had fallen all over everything was not checked for asbestos or lead as far as I am aware of, and no checks had been done as to air quality to make sure it was safe for humans to be there. I wonder how many parents knew that their children were sitting there with all windows open on a chilly, damp day so the outside air could come into the classrooms. It took a NK taxpaying, teacher's husband's demands thatForest Parkbe checked for air quality and safety, before anything was done in our building. That's when the scramble began at9:20 am. And to think that all of this happened after all the mess at Stony Laneand yet, once again, no precautions were taken. We will be back in session tomorrow, 11/19, probably with more windows open, and the rains coming in. The education of Forest Park students has been disrupted and compromised being in school for only 3 days a week for the past 2 weeks, and then again next week for 3 days. The total Nov. school days forForest Park will be 13.
