Schools
Cedar Grove Students Return To North End School; Asbestos Removed
Cedar Grove's North End students return from short stints in Woodland Park and Leonard R. Parks School.
CEDAR GROVE, NJ — Cedar Grove students have finally returned to North End School, months after workers discovered asbestos during a renovation project to the school’s bathrooms and mechanical systems.
Students returned last week after spending the beginning of the school year at School No. 1 in Woodland Park, except for its pre-K and kindergarten learners, who moved to Leonard R. Parks School on Pompton Avenue, NorthJersey.com reported.
Most of the move back to North End took place Dec. 27 and 28 in preparation of the January reopening, North Jersey.com stated.
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Cedar Grove Superintendent Michael Fetherman had provided an earlier statement about the discovery of “elevated levels” of asbestos at North End.
- See related article: Asbestos Found In Cedar Grove Schools
“Upon discovery, construction was immediately stopped, the building was evacuated and the building was sealed,” Fetherman wrote. “The board then notified the asbestos and indoor air quality specialist to test the air and sample the material that was exposed in the building. The board notified the general contractor of the conditions in the building and issued a stop work order.”
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Fetherman said that the board also notified the local police department, the County Office and the Department of Community Affairs of the situation.
“The board anticipates that North End School will not ready for the first day of school,” Fetherman wrote. “We have visited several temporary buildings in the area for lease to house our students and staff for the upcoming school year. We do not know if the students and staff will be out of North End for a few weeks or a few months. Therefore, we must be prepared for the worst-case scenarios.”
Those scenarios may include leasing additional classroom space and hundreds of thousands of dollars of remediation, all unanticipated costs of the initial construction project, Fetherman stated.
“The board has been in touch with the insurance brokers for the district who are working to determine if coverage will be available for these expenses,” the superintendent added.
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