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Every three years the district has to undergo an inspection, after damaged areas of the school were investigated on Dec. 5, 2012, following an anonymous phone call to the Westchester County Health Department.
According to the district, a week later an independent environmental contractor was hired from Mount Vernon based Niche Analysis Inc., which found no evidence of asbestos in any of the damaged areas.
“It’s nice that the school goes out of its way to make sure the children are safe,” Norma Ruiz, who has two children enrolled in the district, said at dismissal. “[The district] doesn’t have the best reputation, but our kids are safe when we send them to school.”
Interim Superintendent Judith Johnson, who is entering her final year as the head of the district, said they are prioritizing the re-inspection. She added that the district would respond to the report once the findings were presented to them.
“In a concerted effort to confirm building safety, the district will respond to the future inspection report findings and recommendations for all of our schools, including Parker Elementary School,” she said. “We are committed to following up on the asbestos reports in a timely matter to ensure a safe learning environment for students and staff.”
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