CARNEGIE, Pa. — Parents at a school in the Carlynton School District say the school building is making their kids sick.
They say it’s been an issue for weeks at Carnegie Elementary School, where there’s construction.
Construction crews have been working at Carnegie Elementary on Franklin Avenue since the end of last school year.
The district is renovating the building and adding a new multipurpose room, but one mother says while the work goes on outside her daughter’s first-grade classroom, her daughter and her classmates keep coming home sick.
“I know my daughter and a few of the other students in her class, they’ve been complaining of headaches, dizziness, nausea over the past month in school,” Shakaila Waugh, a mother, said.
Shakaila Waugh says her daughter was up at night vomiting for about two weeks.
She was fine after a day at home, but the symptoms came back after a couple of days back in school.
She plans to keep her child home for the rest of the week. Other parents have similar complaints.
“Constant calls from the nurse. He was getting sent home early. Constant complaints of headache, stomachache,” mother April Hawk said.
April Hawk sent an email to the Carlyleton school board and school district officials. She hoped to get answers as the school board met tonight to get an update on construction.
Superintendent Dr. John Kreider brought it up during a public meeting, saying the district ran tests for air particles and carbon monoxide.
In a statement to Channel 11, Assistant Superintendent Jeff Taylor said:
“The health, safety, and well-being of our students and staff remain among the District’s highest priorities. We take all concerns regarding the learning environment seriously and are committed to maintaining safe and healthy conditions in our schools.
“In response to a teacher’s request regarding classroom air quality at Carnegie Elementary School, the District proactively arranged for environmental testing of the classroom. As a precautionary measure, students were temporarily relocated to another classroom to allow the testing to be conducted.
“The environmental assessment included testing and monitoring of airborne particulates, temperature, relative humidity, carbon dioxide, and carbon monoxide.
“All testing results were reviewed by an environmental air quality professional, who determined that no conditions were identified that warranted remediation or required students or staff to be removed from the classroom. Additionally, the environmental professional indicated that the conditions identified during testing would not be expected to cause symptoms such as nausea, headaches, or dizziness.
“The District recognizes and respects the concerns expressed by families regarding their children’s health and safety. We remain committed to responding promptly to reported concerns, evaluating environmental conditions using qualified professionals, and taking appropriate action whenever necessary.
“Based on the professional assessment and testing results, no environmental conditions were identified that would prevent the classroom from being safely occupied.
“The Carlynton School District will continue to prioritize the safety of our students and staff and maintain open communication with our school community.
“Thank you for the opportunity to provide clarification.”
Channel 11 was also told the school made changes to improve air circulation, and they’re keeping monitors to measure air quality at the school.
Parents we spoke to were not satisfied.
“I recognize we’re in the midst of flu season and there are tons of germs among young elementary school kids, but there are some patterns,” Hawk.
“I would like to see a physical copy of test results, what tests were done, and what company they were done through. I’d also like to see what their plan is for our kids,” Waugh said.
A spokesperson for the district said all health concerns are taken seriously and said communication with parents will continue on the topic.
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