Dear members of the Baldwin School community,
Due to condensation issues with our HVAC units we have experienced pooling of water in some areas of our school building. In a limited number of areas, this has led to the appearance of mold on some surfaces. We are writing to share information about the steps we have taken to identify and address any potential safety issues that might impact the children and adults who learn and teach at the Baldwin School.
Obviously, we take the health and safety of students and staff very seriously. Immediately upon learning about the possible presence of mold, we notified Vedad Konjic, Director of CPS Facilities, who engaged an environmental consulting company OccuHealth Inc, (OHI) to inspect affected spaces. They also took air samples from some of the affected rooms and identified areas that needed cleaning which was done by the Baldwin custodial crew.
Since then, new leaks have developed due to condensation. In the process of removing wet tiles and sheetrock, the crew has come across additional areas that might have mold growth. These surfaces will be covered with plastic and sealed off until a remediation company is able to clean up affected areas.
To address any additional issues, there will be a building inspection tomorrow morning (10/3/18) by an environmental professional. Next steps will be determined based on the results and updates will be shared.
Once cleaning of additional affected areas (if any) has been completed, and possible mold remediation by a trained professional, a final clearance inspection will be conducted in all areas of the building and air samples will be taken and tested. We want to be sure that we are looking beyond obviously impacted areas and examining any other spaces that might have been overlooked during the initial inspection. Both Superintendent Salim and the Public Health Department’s Director of Environment Health Mr. Sam Lipson will review the mitigation plan to ensure that it includes proper isolation of rooms where removal will taking place and that any remaining concerns tied to mold and chronic moisture are properly addressed.
Please do not hesitate to reach out to either of us if you have any additional questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Heidi Cook, Principal, Baldwin School
Vedad Konjic, CPS Director of Facilities
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