SUMMERSIDE, P.E.I. – Additional health and safety measures have been implemented at Summerside’s high school, after concerns were raised at a recent meeting of parents, students and officials.
Three Oaks High School (TOSH) is in its second year of renovations and some students believe their health issues are a result of the work taking place inside the building.
Parent Samantha MacPherson said her daughter Nicole never suffered health issues before she started at TOSH last fall, and said a recent doctor’s visit suggests her daughter’s poor health might be a result of the school construction.
“He said it’s from dust, pollutants, construction materials, that kind of idea,” she said, adding Nicole has been referred to see a respiratory specialist at Prince County Hospital.
While some students might blame illness on construction as an excuse to miss school, the Grade 10 student says she isn’t one of them.
“I tend to be a smart student, and I’m trying as hard as I can. People can use this as excuse as to why their marks are falling, but I don’t want to.”
MacPherson said she brought this issue up at the school, and was told they moved Nicole’s classroom.
Despite moving to a location away from the construction zone, Nicole still can’t avoid the construction dust and debris completely and her health has not improved, MacPherson said.
“It’s disrupting her education,” she said. “The kid’s sick; she can’t breathe. How do you focus on (schoolwork) when you can’t breathe?”
MacPherson’s concerns weren’t isolated.
A few days before the meeting was scheduled, TOSH students started a petition asking officials to stop construction while students are in class.
The petition, which said “over 50 students have reported a variety of health issues” including breathing issues, chronic coughing, feeling faint, headaches and nausea, collected more than 500 signatures.
Prior to the meeting, the Journal Pioneer spoke with John Cumming, director of the corporate services department at the Public Schools Branch, the education authority responsible for capital projects such as the TOSH renovations.
“Three Oaks is doing everything possible to keep all students and staff safe, and to address individual concerns,” he said, at which point he mentioned a meeting was planned, and that concerns were “being taken seriously”.
Air quality was a concern for students as well, and Cummings said, “strict testing protocols will continue in construction areas” as well as investigation and testing in non-construction areas occupied by the students and staff.
The TOSH parents council sent the Journal Pioneer minutes from the meeting, which listed some of the steps that will be taken as construction continues, to ensure the health and safety of staff and students.
Additional air testing will be performed at locations close to active construction areas and in locations suggested by parents and students.
A new security person will monitor construction areas to ensure the areas remain closed and an additional custodian will clean surfaces that become dusty.
Updates on the construction will go out on a regular basis to parents and students.
Parents, students and staff are asked to raise concerns or issues as they arise. Students can email [email protected], staff can contact Sean MacDonald with TOSH Joint Health and Safety Committee, and parents can email [email protected].
Renovation report
Three Oaks High School construction updates:
– At the end of March about 36 per cent of construction was completed
– At the end of May it will be about 42 per cent complete
– Starting June 2 when students are out of school, work will continue, and by September, about 65 per cent of construction should be complete
– Construction on the cafeteria will start in May and will take about five months to complete
– TOSH is looking at the possibility of food trucks during the times the cafeteria is closed, and cafeteria tables will be relocated to various areas throughout the school
– Construction is scheduled for final completion in April 2019.
