An environmental quality study is underway at the Penn-Kidder campus in Jim Thorpe Area School District due to what district officials termed “health concerns” by a large group of staff members.

Jim Thorpe contracted Mountain Research in October to complete the study at a cost of $20,750.

“They were up there Monday and Tuesday and the person who was doing the study talked to individuals and is going to make sure they get to anyone else they haven’t had a chance to see yet,” Superintendent Robert Presley said.

The Penn-Kidder school opened in 2003.

Mary Blay, a substitute teacher in the district, said staff asked for the study because, “there have been so many cases of cancer” in people who work or have worked at Penn Kidder.

Presley said there was no official letter sent to parents or staff members regarding the study, but said the matter was made public in October when the board awarded the contract.

“They’re doing water tests, air tests, mold and everything they can to look into possible areas of concern,” Presley said.

In an email following October’s board meeting, Presley said the board was being proactive after hearing the concerns of staff.

“At this time, there is not anything that points to an issue with the building, but again, they are being proactive,” he added.

Board President Scott Pompa said the district is doing what it can and will wait for results of the study to come back before moving forward.

“There is going to be two or three months until the study is complete,” Pompa said. “My personal opinion would be if it comes back and confirms there is an issue, then it’s something.”

Fumes in the school

Blay also raised concerns about the recent air quality inside Penn-Kidder.

She described a recent evacuation of the sixth-grade section of the building due to the smell of diesel fumes infiltrating the classrooms.

Presley said one of the identified causes was wind forcing diesel fumes down into the cold air intake.

“We’re looking at the chimney stack for the boiler and hot water heater to see if they are high enough because that air is getting forced into that intake,” he said. “Hopefully they can be raised, but we are changing when the air handlers are open and closed until we see if there is a more permanent resolution to the issue. The air intakes for that part of the building will close during school and then open back up at night.”

Acting Penn-Kidder Principal Sara Mass corroborated the concerns, stating that staff has been experiencing the smell for at least two years.

“I get the blast of smell in my office and I have to leave the office, which I did on Monday,” Mass said. “I have staff who are concerned. They are worried and they want to make sure they are safe and the students in our building are safe.”

The district is also waiting for parts to service the hot water heaters that go up into the smoke stack to make sure they are firing and burning properly.

“We’re aware of it and we’re on it,” Presley said.