Corona Clean Air Committee

CURRENT PRIORITIES

1.     Protecting the health of the students and staff at Corona del Sol High School.  In light of Dr. Adams' compelling Health Survey results, we ask that the leadership in the district do all they can to ensure the students will be learning in a safe, healthy environment next year.

2.     Comprehensive testing of ALL buildings for mold and other indoor air quality and toxicity issues.  Full-scope testing to be done by a third partywith unrestricted off-hour access to the buildings.  The Committee is prepared to pay, or share the payment with the District.

3.     Results of the comprehensive tests will be shared with all stakeholders, including parents, students, faculty, and staff.  Any potential remediation would be conducted by a mutually agreed upon expert, and a final inspection conducted by the designated expert.

Background of Committee

·    Started by parents and teachers in order to work together to ensure a safe, healthy education environment

·    Leadership Team consists of representatives from all stakeholder groups (former, future, current students and parents, former and current staff, community members)

·    Originally the Corona Clean Air Coalition, the group became the Corona Clean Air Committee of the newly formed Tempe Chandler PTSA, a member of the National and Arizona Parent-Teacher Associations. 

·    Committee structure to engage members to utilize their professional skills to achieve our goal

·    300+ members

Purpose

A safe and healthy education environment for Corona’s Staff and Students

External Research

We’ve spoken with individuals all over the country who have dealt with or are dealing with similar issues.  Hundreds of hours of research have been spent reviewing environmental standards and assessments, as well as numerous consultations with national experts including Sue Brinchman of www.Schoolmoldhelp.org , Dr. Richard Lipsey, www.richardlipsey.com, and Renee Blanchard from the Center for Health and Environmental Justice, www.chej.org among others.

Internal Research

·    Attended meetings:   Arizona Education Association/Tempe Schools Education Association Meeting, Staff Update Meeting, PTO Meeting, Principal Susan Edwards was in attendance.

·    Spoken directly with: Tish Marks(Kraemer), Lee Palmer (McCarthy), Jack Hofmann (Architect)

·    Spoken with Richard Porter of the ADHS conducting the Cancer Survey

·    Reviewed all available reports of assessments and remediation

·    Observed and reviewed the protocol used to conduct the survey of students and staff

·    Anna Chalmers, Corona parent and member of the Coalition Leadership Team was able to assess portions of building A

Conclusions

·    We are convinced that there is a strong possibility that toxic mold and the mycotoxins it produces, still exist within the walls and halls of our school, unseen but potentially dangerous. 

·    Introducing a new HVAC system into this building without a complete “physical” to ensure it has a clean bill of health would only provide the opportunity of the potentially toxic mold to be reintroduced into the new system and we’ll be back again the same issues in a few short years.

·    CO2 levels are a significant health hazard to students with chronic respiratory issues such as Asthma as described in the 2006 HEG report and that this was never reported out to parents in a formal manner thus giving them the opportunity to make appropriate decisions for their child’s health.