Polk County Education
12A Polk County Itemizer-Observer • August 17, 2016
Lead testing to cost district $30,000
Dallas School District will begin tests once school resumes in September
By Jolene Guzman
The Itemizer-Observer
DALLAS — Testing for
lead in Dallas schools this
fall will cost $30,000, and
that doesn’t include the
cost of repairs that may be
required.
“Until we get those re-
sults back we won't be able
to know mitigation costs, if
there are any,” said Kevin
Montague, the district’s fa-
cilities manager.
Montague said the dis-
trict will test 600 water fix-
tures for lead once school
resumes in September.
All distr icts may be
under a tight timeline to
get testing completed. The
Oregon Department of Ed-
ucation is mulling a re-
quirement to have testing
finished by Oct. 1.
The state also may re-
quire districts to compile
plans to mitigate lead in
the water, radon levels, in-
door air quality and lead
paint by Jan. 1, 2017. If that
requirement is adopted, an
example plan for districts
to replicate will be avail-
able Oct. 1, the same day
water tests are due.
“It seems to me a little
bit like (putting) the cart
before the horse when the
state model plan comes out
the same day that as the
testing has to be done and
district plans aren’t due for
another three months,”
Montague said. “Don’t
know how you can test
without plans in place.”
At this point, Dallas will
proceed testing in Septem-
ber under “normal use con-
ditions” as outlined in En-
vironmental Protection
Agency protocol.
Muddying the lead test-
ing waters further, in June,
Multnomah County Public
Health released a report
stating of all children with
elevated lead levels tested
through its office between
2013 and 2016, none of the
Lead testing
• Testing for lead in Dallas
schools will cost $30,000.
• Tests on 600 water fix-
tures will resume once
schools are back in session
in September.
• Districts may be under
an Oct. 1 deadline to com-
plete tests.
sources were lead in drink-
ing water.
Work also has begun this
summer on the recommen-
dations of the Superinten-
dent’s Facilities Commit-
tee. The group studied rest-
rooms and locker rooms in
the district to determine
what changed needed to
ensure privacy for all dis-
trict students.
“We’re currently awaiting
pricing for restroom up-
grades,” Montague said in
his facilities update to the
Dallas School Board on
Aug. 8.
He said custom-sized
full-height, gap-free parti-
tions will be installed in
restrooms and retrofits will
be made to single-stall
restrooms to replace signs
and install door handles
meeting current fire codes.
“In addition to that, we
have also began working
with an architect to review
our best options and best
practices for privacy in the
multi-stall facilities,” Mon-
tague said.
He said it’s too early to
tell how much the work will
cost. Some remodeling in
restrooms was already
planned, with a cost esti-
mate of about $200,000. The
committee recommended
additional upgrades, previ-
ously estimated at $300,000,
but that figure may have
changed.
“I wish it were as simple
as just costing out replace-
ment of stalls, but there’s a
lot of bigger issues involved
with layout, space and
other things (hardware,
non-standard sizing, struc-
tural retrofits) to accurately
put a cost estimate to it just
yet,” Montague said.
Divorce Support
Group for Adults and Children
DivorceCare is a warm & caring seminar and support
group for adults who are separated or divorced., that
meets weekly for 13 weeks. You will experience an
encouraging & information packed video presentation,
small group discussions and a personal workbook
for journaling and personal study exercises.
$35 Registration fee for adults. Scholarships available.
Divorce Care for Kids is
a special group to help
children ages 5 - 12 to
heal from the hurt
caused by the separation or divorce of their parents.
We combine games, crafts, activities, music and DVD
dramas to create a fun atmosphere where children
feel comfortable and accepted.
$20 Registration
Both groups begin:
includes workbook
for children.
Monday Aug. 22 • 6:30 pm
For more information
or to register
pl ease call Kate
or visit our website.
Weekday Bible Building
1156 SE Holman.
Dallas
503-917-1625
www.crossandcrownministries.org
JOLENE GUZMAN/ Itemizer-Observer
Testing for lead in 600 water fixtures throughout Dallas School District will happen after school begins.