Hale Rd. Elementary School Students to be Relocated Because of Asbestos Students of Hale Rd. Elementary School in the Painesville Township may possibly be relocated for one month or more for the beginning of school year. Asbestos material was disturbed while construction work was ongoing at the elementary. The process of cleanup would take at least a month to finish. James Kalis, the Superintendent of Riverside Schools, will visit the building, which is the probable candidate for the kindergarten through 3rd-grade students. The students who would be relocated may take their classes at the Painesville Assembly of God (PAG), Concord Township. In the meantime, 4th and 5th graders are going to vacate classrooms at LaMuth School, Concord Township. The space will be leased by the school district from the PAG church. The price for this has not bee decided so far, according to Kalis. â??< strong>The church also is actually working with the school. They are keen to help us,â? Kalis said. He said that the PAG church was not looking to make profit out of the lease. The department of fire will check the church building to make sure that it is adequate for teaching. However, Kalis said, he was optimistic that the building would be safe and suitable. â??It is a provisional, but adequate location,â? Kalis said. The school district is also planning to hold one open house. It could be used for parents to visit the buildings before their children. The school will also provide transportation for all those who resides outside of 1-mile radius of the buildings. The school was about to complete a $3 M project, which included replacement of roof and a latest Heating Ventilation & Air Conditioning (HVAC) system. Though asbestos has been banned from using as building material, the material is still a major problem for many schools in the United States. The problem is that those buildings were constructed at a time when asbestos was an extensively used construction material. As it can cause severe respiratory problems and terminal diseases such as cancer if its fibers are breathed in, removal of asbestos should be done with extreme care. Only licensed asbestos contractors are allowed to handle the substance. Asbestos removal is a time-consuming as well as expensive process. There are strict regulations to be followed when an asbestos abatement project is being carried out. Violations of these regulations could result in potential fines and imprisonment.
