At its monthly meeting, the board of education also hired outside contractors for students’ special services.
The Gloucester Township Public Schools’ board of education entered into two agreements regarding special services, contracting with companies outside of the district at its Oct. 16 meeting.
The first agreement is with Cumberland Therapy Services for hiring a speech-language pathologist. The second agreement is with General Healthcare Resources for providing nursing, para and therapy services.
In light of the mold infestation in the Monroe Township School District, a Sicklerville resident expressed concerned about Gloucester Township’s air and water conditions.
For the third consecutive year, the Gloucester Township School District is partaking in a program for testing indoor air and water quality on individual schools through Camden County’s Department of Health and Human Services, according to Superintendent John D. Bilodeau.
The county assigns environmental scientists to either test randomly or in schools of concern. The samples are sent to an independent laboratory, and then results are sent to the district. Reports are issued and later sent to the district’s health and safety committees, which were established about three years ago on the heels of Ann A. Mullen Middle School’s failing HVAC system, which cost the school district about $3 million.
The individual reports can be found on schools’ websites.
Bilodeau has set the standard for testing at least two times a year throughout the district.
In July 2016, the state compelled all public school districts to test drinking water for lead anywhere someone could drink water or prepare food. Gloucester Township had close to 500 outlets tested, according to Bilodeau. Thirty-seven of the nearly 500 outlets, or about 7 percent, failed the test, according to Bilodeau.
Throughout the summer, particular outlets were flushed and fixed.
As of Oct.16, the drinking water was deemed clean. However, after submitting a PARS Environmental, Inc.. report, the state still wants to take an extra precaution for five of the outlets that tested clean the second time. As of Oct. 16, the water was shut off in those particular locations. The district will either remediate or close the tap until tested again.
In other news:
• The Gloucester Township School District app is now available for both iPhones and Androids, giving users immediate access the the district’s website.
• Some 2,260 Chromebooks have been distributed to students throughout the district as part of the district’s ongoing Chromebook initiative.
• This month’s Star Student recognitions were awarded to the following students: Eighth grader Matthew McCloskey of C.W. Lewis Middle School; seventh grader Zoe C. Hirschfeld of C.W. Lewis Middle School; fifth grader Emily Lindquist of Gloucester Township Elementary School; first grader Evan Urso of Gloucester Township Elementary School; first grader Xavier Wright of Blackwood Elementary School; and Emma Summer of Blackwood Elementary School.
