WCCUSD shared this list of questions and answers for its Aug. 6 town hall about the chemical plume discovery that led to the temporary closure of Kennedy High School on Aug. 3. It has been lightly edited to include clarifying details and relevant links.
1. Will the start of school be delayed?
At this time, there is no plan to delay the start of school. The district is rapidly working with other agencies to conduct additional environmental testing, and we are working with our community partners to evaluate options for a temporary location for the school community if needed.
2. Is the school closed?
As a school community, Kennedy High School is not closed. Principal David Luongo and school administrative staff have temporary office space nearby at DeJean Middle School, and student orientation is moving forward at DeJean Middle on its scheduled date of Aug. 11.
3. Was this caused by the school construction?
No. While the exact cause of the underground contamination is under investigation by the State Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC), we are aware that DTSC has been monitoring PCE contamination in the Richmond area for some time.
4. Is any mitigation needed for the new buildings?
A design for mitigation in the new buildings (under construction at Kennedy) is already underway. There are options for mitigation, and new buildings are the easiest to mitigate.
5. Is any mitigation needed for the older, existing buildings? What does this mean for the future of those buildings?
The additional environmental testing that we are doing now will give us the indoor air data and above-ground data that we need in order to know if mitigation is needed in the older buildings. If mitigation is needed, it should be possible.
6. Is there a plan in place for the additional environmental testing?
Yes, and testing began on Aug. 6. We are operating on the most expedited time frame possible.
On that time frame, the earliest that we expect to receive analysis of these results will be Thur., Aug. 13, or Fri., Aug. 14.
7. Why is testing taking so long? Can we hire more people to expedite the testing process?
There is more than one type of test being performed, and they must happen at different times to ensure accurate results. This is the most expedited time frame possible based on many sets of requirements, including state requirements and laboratory requirements.
8. Where will the Kennedy community be located for the start of school, and when will we know?
District staff is rapidly working to conduct additional environmental testing and evaluate potential alternative sites for the school, pending test results. We will continue communicating our efforts to families and staff and share new information as it emerges.
9. What were the test results?
The test results that we have received are preliminary and from underground probes; a final report will be provided once an engineer completes a final review. There were six testing locations, and three of the six locations on the east side of campus showed PCE levels above the prescribed screening level. (Editor’s note, a DTSC scientist on Thursday said that five of the six locations showed PCE was present. It’s unclear if those five were all above the safety threshold.)
