DATE: Saturday, May 10, 1997                TAG: 9705100348

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B1   EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA 

SOURCE: BY PAUL SOUTH, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: MANTEO                            LENGTH:   79 lines

MANTEO HIGH AIR QUALITY GRADED ``B''

Prompted by a parent's complaint concerning air quality, a state environmental health consultant inspected Manteo High School Friday.

Ron Howell gave the school a ``B'' to ``B-minus'' grade in terms of air quality, and pointed out areas that have room for improvement.

Major areas of concern include a leaking roof that could trigger mold spore growth, as well as wet areas of carpet.

``We had a call to our office about the roof leaking,'' Howell said. ``Obviously, there's a major concern in connection with water leaks and mold growth. A certain percentage of the population - about 15 to 20 percent - have allergic reaction to mold growth. Generally, I did not see any major area of mold growth.''

Teachers and students reported that on Thursday, school custodial personnel were seen removing ceiling tiles containing evidence of mold. However, the director of plant operations for the Dare County Board of Education denied the replacements were done to deceive health officials.

``It wasn't done in anticipation of this inspection,'' Steve Holden said. ``This is something we've done on an ongoing basis. I spoke to Ron last week, and this was one of the things he recommended.''

Among key recommendations were repairs to the roof, where leaks have caused problems on the second floor of the school's main building, which has had evidence of mold in the past.

However, parent Susan Vaughan of Kill Devil Hills was skeptical about the last-minute removal of moldy tiles.

``They knew about the moldy tiles in December,'' Vaughan said. ``You don't have to have somebody tell you to get rid of moldy ceiling tiles.''

Howell also recommended removal of any wet carpet, ceiling tile or other building material within 24 to 48 hours following their discovery. He also performed a carbon dioxide inspection, and had a look at the school's central heating and air conditioning system.

Asked if Manteo High School would qualify as a ``sick building,'' Howell replied: ``There are a few students who have been shown to have symptoms related to sick building syndrome. But to qualify as a sick building, it appears to me you'd have to have 15, 20, 25 percent of the students and faculty.''

A schoolwide survey performed by the newspaper ``Sound to Sea'' late last year found that of 126 respondents, 21 percent said their allergy problems began after they started attending Manteo High School. Seventy-six percent of respondents said they've seen roof leaks, and 66 percent said they have seen mold or mildew in the school.

Howell said the school district had done a ``fair'' job in maintaining air quality.

``From a school building standpoint, the big issue is the roof leaking,'' Howell said. ``Anytime you have moisture and humidity, you have the potential for a large-scale sick building. There aren't any large scale problems here, but there's room for improvement.''

Leaking roofs have been an issue in Dare County schools in a variety of studies, beginning in 1991. More recently, a 1996 report done by the Wilmington firm Boney Architects, also cited leaks as a concern.

The roof repair issue has reared its head in the debate over the proposed $59.5 million school bond issue. However, school officials say that the Manteo roof is on a schedule of repairs. This summer, work is scheduled to begin at Manteo Elementary School. Repairs have already been completed at Kitty Hawk School.

Delays in roof repairs are also the result of an inability to get qualified bids for the work, Holden said.

Asked if there would be any follow-up inspection, Holden said the school district will request a return visit from health officials.

Meanwhile, nofines will be levied by the health agency at this point, Howell said.

``We're not in the regulatory business,'' Howell said. ``Our job is to inspect and to make recommendations.''

The Manteo High roof is not the only source of difficulty for the school district. Portions of the ceiling at Cape Hatteras School were analyzed for asbestos, but none was found. However, as a precaution, the material has been sent to Raleigh for analysis.

Vaughan, however, a frequent critic of the school system's environmental policy, said she is washing her hands of the air quality problems at local schools.

``My kids graduate this year, so it's (the school board's) problem,'' Vaughan said. ``I just think this is pretty pathetic.''

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