Schools

One Week Before School Opens, Possible Problems At Berkeley Township Elementary School

Test results should be available on Thursday, superintendent says

 

The staff of the Berkeley Township Elementary School was summoned to a special meeting yesterday over a possible environmental problem in the building.

Schools Superintendent James D. Roselli confirmed that a company is doing testing at the school on Emory Avenue in Bayville. But he declined to discuss the nature of the problem with Berkeley Patch until test results are back on Thursday.

Find out what's happening in Berkeleywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"We are in the process of identifying exactly what is going on in the building," said Roselli, who was appointed superintendent in late June. "We don't have any answers."

Board Vice-President James Fulcomer said he had "heard a rumor" the school was closed to staff members and contacted Roselli's secretary. He was told there was a meeting about the matter at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, but because of the short notice, he couldn't attend.

Find out what's happening in Berkeleywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"There wasn't enough time for me to get there, so I didn't go," Fulcomer said. "I got invited to go to the meeting, but got no answers to my questions."

Roselli said yesterday that all Board of Education members were contacted by his secretary about the matter.

"Everyone is in the loop," he said.

Fulcomer said Roselli called him Wednesday afternoon.

"There is a possibility there might be some mold at the Berkeley Township Elementary School," Fulcomer said.

The test results should be available on Thursday, Roselli said.

"We have a company doing the testing," he said. "I'll know by Thursday. It could be nothing. We really don't know what it is at this point."

The decision to test was made because of the "extreme heat and humidity" over the summer, Roselli said.  "It's just routine testing of all the buildings."

The Berkeley Township Elementary School opened in 2004. It's the newest elementary school in the four-school Berkeley Township school district.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here