Five Burning Questions as Students Return to Schools Under Construction

It’s easy to be anxious about students returning to school. Those nerves can be even greater as a parent when you know your student is entering a construction site as the school year gets underway.

Southington Public School officials are asking parents to rest easy, however, addressing concerns directly over the past two days as School Superintendent Joseph V. Erardi Jr. and members of the Middle School Building Committee addressed nearly 600 parents Tuesday night before opening the schools up to families for a walkthrough on Wednesday.


For many parents – and even a few students – there are several burning questions they wanted addressed. After sitting with Erardi Wednesday, Patch has those answers.

1. What are the air quality levels and how could they affect my child?

“There has been consistent and continued testing over the past few weeks, determining air quality levels. There are three levels; one for adults, one for those in middle or high school and a third for children of elementary school age,” Erardi said. “The tests have repeatedly found the levels to be safe on all three levels.”

The school district, as required by federal Environmental Protection Agency standards, will continue air quality testing over the next several years, but levels were determined to meet strict and stringent standards and will have no impact on even the weakest of lungs, officials said.

In the cafeteria, where parents expressed concerns about construction dust, the floors have been sealed and finished so that no dust is kicked up. Any areas under construction are also sealed, officials said.

2. How do I know my students are protected from construction staff?

Erardi and members of the committee said that, after long discussions with Newfield Construction, there are several steps in place to insure the safety and protection of students. There will be no interaction between the two, as construction workers will not be in the education sections of the building and even have their own bathrooms.

Furthermore, Erardi said extensive background checks have been conducted on all workers and anyone who has a record that includes an arrest for “violent misdemeanors, substance charges, any felonies, or misdemeanors with substance charges” are not involved in the project.

3. What other safeguards are in place to assure my student is safe?

In addition to the separation of students and construction workers, additional precautions have been taken as the work continues. This includes typical building locks, as well as having a security guard at the main entrance and partnership with the Southington Police Department at each school to assure there are regular checks and patrols circulating the grounds.

4. How will work in progress impact the students or extra-curricular activities such as sports?

Erardi said the simple answer is, it won’t. All sports seasons will continue as scheduled in Fall 2013, some at their normal locations and others at alternate fields. The gymnasiums remain closed as work continues, but the entrances to the gym are sealed and physical education classes will largely be held outside in the first couple months. Erardi said there are contingency plans in place in the event of inclement or unfavorable weather.

5. How do we know the schools will remain safe as work continues?

The town’s building inspectors, police and fire officials will continue to conduct inspections and walkthroughs on a weekly, if not daily basis through the duration of the project. These inspections will provide measures to protect the safety of the students and staff, Erardi said.

“I tell everyone the same thing,” said Steve Madancy, principal at Kennedy Middle School. “I love my wife, I love my kids and I plan to spend many more years with them. If I thought in any way this was not a safe environment, I would not be here myself.”

For a look into the schools and how they currently look, see the video above. Welcome back to school! Have a great year!

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