Mold in Union Schools

The crisis at Hannah Caldwell is bigger than Hannah Caldwell - and students are paying the price.

Mushrooms growing on the walls of Burnet Middle School.

In the wake of Hannah Caldwell Elementary School’s abrupt closing due to mold concerns, the scope of the calamity comes into focus: students and families are bearing the burden of the District’s widespread infrastructure deterioration, the staggering failure to proactively protect student and faculty health, the spending of tax-payer dollars to protect reputations, and the misappropriation of District funds to bloated administrative positions.

Upcoming Board of Education Meetings

November Work Session: Tuesday, November 12, 2024: 5:30 pm Executive Session Followed by Public Session (agenda here) at the Administrative Building

November Regular Meeting: Tuesday, November 19, 2024 6pm at Union High School

Hannah Caldwell’s Swirling Timeline

Hannah Caldwell Elementary School (HCES) remains closed for an undetermined length of time, and parents scramble to adapt work, childcare, and academic plans for students as information slowly trickles from the District.

Following a confusing and poorly communicated series of messages to HCES parents regarding mold and moisture at the school in mid-October, on Thursday evening, October 24, the Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Gerry Benaquista, circulated a letter via email and robocall to the HCES community. The email communicated the school’s immediate closing following concerning preliminary mold test results, stated an overly optimistic two-week timeline, and provided no plans for relocation, in-person learning, or academic continuity [see below - this letter is no longer available on the District website]. Parents were left to scramble to secure childcare for an uncertain length of time with a complete lack of District support.

After three days of silence from District Leadership, on Sunday, October 27, Dr. Benaquista followed up with the community in the final hours the weekend. The letter, again circulated via email and robocall, and later posted to the District’s website, provided plans for student relocation throughout the district to begin on Wednesday, October 30. The letter, which again failed to provided information about academic continuity, make-up days, or curriculum modifications, promised to share transportation plans by Tuesday evening, just hours before bussing would begin.

However, instead of communicating a bussing schedule for full school days, the Tuesday, October 29 letter instead communicated plans for students to spend half days on October 30 and 31st outdoors for physical activities, crafts, and a Halloween Parade. Parents were not provided with before care, full-day care, or after care options, and were again left to secure childcare and arrange work schedules with just hours of notice. This letter also failed to communicate academic continuity or curriculum modification plans, and notably, it did not provide updated student relocation plans, bussing schedules, or school closure timelines.

The next day, Wednesday, October 30, the HCES community received yet another letter via email and robocall from Dr. Benaquista. This letter contradicted Dr. Benaquista’s October 24 letter, purporting that the District had not yet received preliminary test results. It also stated that on the advice of legal counsel, the District would not discuss “the specific scope of work” related to HCES. The letter provided the community’s only opportunity for parents to meet openly with the Administration on Friday evening, November 1 - the day on which the District was closed to celebrate Diwali.

The November 1 meeting, which coincided with HCES parents finally receiving specific, written relocation and bussing plans, was offered in-person only, with no remote attendance options. During the meeting, attended by Dr. Benaquista, 3 Board members, the District legal counsel, and concerned HCES parents, parents expressed outrage with the Superintendent’s refusal to answer questions regarding closure timelines, remediation procedures, or test results. The District’s legal counsel on numerous occasions blocked District leaders from answering parent questions and responded directly to parents who raised questions for Dr. Benaquista. Enraged parents walked out of the meeting.

The YMCA has notified families whose students are registered for the YMCA’s before and aftercare programs that care for students relocated to Jefferson, Kawameeh, Burnet, and the High School will be provided at the YMCA on Tucker Avenue. They have communicated that students will be bussed to and from Jefferson, Kawameeh, Burnet, and the High School. Care for students relocated to elementary schools will be provided at those elementary schools. The District has not provided direct, written information to parents regarding before and after care transportation, and some parents have received contradicting verbal communication. As of Sunday evening at 9:30pm, considerable confusion remained about where parents can drop off and pick up students for YMCA-provided before and after care on Monday. While HCES parents are grateful to the Y for providing care under these circumstances, the significant transportation challenges and overall confusion creates additional financial, emotional, and logistical burdens born by parents as a result of the District’s failure.

Are Other Schools Safe?

During the November 1 meeting, concerned parents raised questions about the environmental safety of the relocation sites. Dr Benaquista assured parents that “there’s no indication that any other school building in the district is contaminated. There’s been no reports of that.” However, Dr. Benaquista presided over a burst pipe incident at Burnet Middle School in July of 2024, after which the community received no evidence of mold testing.

In addition, faculty have complained privately and publicly about the presence of water damage, moisture, and mushrooms growing on walls throughout Burnet over the past several years. This month, students, parents, and faculty have surfaced photos of pained-over water damage, mold, and mushrooms at Burnet. Photos have been emailed directly to District Buildings and Grounds manager Anthony Cirella, circulated on social media, and passed around the community via messaging apps [see photos below]

In November, 2023, Livingston Elementary School suffered a burst basement pipe, forcing students to be relocated for one academic day. The community received no information regarding the cause of the burst, previous leaks, mold testing, or moisture remediation following the incident.

Who’s in Charge?

Throughout this crisis, the District’s legal counsel and public relations machine has been hard at work. Instagram posts have lauded the District’s “quick” response and shown pictures of happily relocated students. The Teacher’s Union has sent colorful flyers requesting cash donations to support the purchase of supplies that should be provided by the District, and during Tuesday, November 12’s un-televised Work Session Meeting the District is set to approve a $15,000 contract, paid for by taxpayers, for a Public Relations firm to handle the crisis for the District. Meanwhile, the community is paying the District’s legal counsel $190 per hour for Leadership to refuse to answer questions, engage in more extensive testing, provide a timeline or plan of action for remediation, or lead academic intervention in the wake of missed and disrupted school days.

While Dr. Benaquista claims to have learned about mold in September, parent and faculty have repeatedly raised concerns about environmental safety at both HCES and Burnet for several years, during which Dr. Benaquista served as Assistant Superintendent, overseeing Buildings and Grounds. Furthermore, the Assistant Superintendent, Marissa McKenzie, who now oversees Buildings and Grounds, will receive tenure just 120 days following the start of her contract, which she entered into under concerning circumstances just months after resigning as President of the Board of Education.

The District has approved yet another bloated administration position, Personnel Specialist, immediately following the resignation of Board Member Mary Lynn Williams, demonstrating yet again the District’s willingness their siphon funds away from infrastructure, environmental health, curriculum, and teachers.

Appendix

Covered Water Damage, Mold, and Mushrooms at Burnet Middle School

Materials No Longer Available on the District Website