Staff Writer

The Biddeford School Department has implemented new cleaning procedures to address air quality concerns at Biddeford High School.

Two classrooms were closed last week after tests showed low to moderate levels of mold spores and high levels of dust. Principal Britton Wolfe said the classrooms were cleaned and reopened after follow-up tests showed the rooms were safe.

Additional tests by Air Quality Management Services in 13 classrooms late last week showed levels of mold spores within acceptable levels, Wolfe said. One of the rooms with slightly higher levels – but still within acceptable range – received a “deep cleaning” before students and teachers returned, he said.

Questions about the school’s air quality were raised by two parents who said their daughters have had allergic reactions at the school. Laurie Hale said her daughter, Marina Gagne, has had reactions strong enough to require the use of an anti-allergy EpiPen and treatment at the hospital. School Committee Member Roberta Bernier said her daughter, Kelsie, also has had allergic reactions that required trips to the hospital.

Both mothers called on school officials to do more extensive testing throughout the school. Hale said Gagne’s doctor has told her not to return to the school. Gagne is now tutored at home and Hale is considering transferring a younger daughter to a different school.

Wolfe said school officials are taking seriously the concerns about air quality, but said there is nothing in test results to show parents should be concerned the school is unsafe. He said the school will continue to test any classroom at the request of teachers or parents. Four parents called the school last Thursday to report they are keeping their children home because of air quality, he said.

According to school officials, the presence of mold and fungi in particulate matter is not an immediate cause for alarm since spores are part of the environment. Tests show the likely source of mold and fungi spores is the movement of settled dust in and around heaters in the old section of the school.

At a Nov. 30 school committee workshop, several parents and residents questioned whether the building is safe for students and staff.

Dawn Demers said her son had to be tutored at home for several months because of health problems related to air quality at a Biddeford elementary school several years ago. She said she remains concerned about the way the school department handles air quality complaints.

“There needs to be something more done to protect these students,” she said.

Hale stood up to tell the committee about her daughter’s allergic reactions and question administrators about their response to her complaints.

“What authority do you have (Superintendent Sarah-Jane Poli) to put my daughter’s life on the line?” she asked.

Mayor Joanne Twomey said the school department has “nothing to hide. We want to solve this.”

Resident John Boilard said he was watching the meeting on television at home and drove to city hall to speak. Boilard said he is an environmental consultant and thinks the building should be closed.

“I’m incredulous,” he said. “Mold isn’t the problem, it’s silica dust.”

School Committee Member Tony Michaud apologized to parents and said testing should have been done last spring when Hale first became concerned her daughter’s reactions were connected to the school.

“I’m sorry to all the students at Biddeford High School who reported issues last year. This is not right,” he said. “We have a lot of work to do.”

During a Dec. 2 meeting with school officials, custodial supervisors, representatives of Air Quality Management Services and Ledgewood Construction, Poli said the school has developed new procedures to address dust in classrooms.

Biddeford High School currently is undergoing major renovation and parts of the building are closed off as a construction zone. Brian Phinney, the city’s environmental code officer, said the school is relatively clean for a high-use building. He suggested Ledgewood Construction fix gaps in doors that lead to construction areas to minimize dust in hallways and classrooms.

Phinney said he found no active mold growth during his own inspection of the building. He said more cleaning may be necessary, but he would feel comfortable allowing his asthmatic daughter to attend the school.

Facilities Manager Phil Radding said the department is being more proactive about cleaning the building. He said the custodial staff will dust and vacuum each night and during the school day as needed to minimize dust buildup in the rooms.

“We have made strides to clean our building,” he said.

Wolfe said some teachers have told him dust resettles in their rooms during the day. Teachers and staff are able to fill out requests for extra cleaning using an automated computer system, he said.

The school was scheduled to be tested Wednesday for the presence of crystalline silica from concrete cutting during construction. Poli said Phinney is not concerned silica dust is an issue because Ledgewood uses wet cutting techniques to minimize dust exposure.

Breathing dust that contains silica can cause silicosis, which causes permanent and disabling scar tissue in the lungs, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The department suggests wet cutting and exhaust/vacuum systems be used to protect from exposure.

Wolfe said he has received reports of recurring headaches from several teachers, but has not received additional complaints about health concerns from students. He asked the school nurse to compile a list of all health complaints this year. He said the nurse reported there has not been an abnormally high percentage of complaints of headaches or allergy symptoms.

Twomey, who also is chairman of  the school committee, said the school department is taking very seriously the health of its students and staff.

“We’re not rolling over, we’re not looking the other way,” she said. “But we have to be reasonable. We don’t want to send this panicked message this school is not safe.”

Staff Writer Gillian Graham can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 213.