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School Ventilation Action Teams Inspecting 1,600 Schools In Just One Week To Determine Safety
By
David Cruz
Published Aug 25, 2020
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By
David Cruz
Published Aug 25, 2020
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The city is dispatching more than 100 teams across the city's 1,600 school buildings in an effort to inspect airflow in every classroom ahead of school reopening, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Tuesday morning.
And they have just one week to get it done.
The lofty plan will see School Ventilation Action Teams—which include experts and engineers contracted by the School Construction Authority—to scour buildings across the public school system with the goal of determining whether each classroom is proper ventilated for students and staffers returning to school for blended learning. Proper ventilation inside buildings is important to help minimize spread of COVID-19.
"We're marshaling the resources not only of the Department of Education and the School Construction Authority, but other agencies as well, coming together to make sure that every school is ready, that the ventilation systems are working, that windows are open even if they weren't open in the past because there's nothing as powerful as fresh air when it comes to fighting this virus," said de Blasio.
Inspectors will be relying on a multi-prong checklist to clear a classroom for use. That includes ensuring a classroom is big enough for social distancing, windows that can open adequately, and determining whether the ventilation system is flowing through a room effectively. Inspectors will either approve a classroom for use, identify what needs to be fixed to ensure it's ready for school reopening, or take the classroom offline.
Ventilation has been a major concern ahead of school reopening as students arriving for in-person learning will remain in one classroom for the remainder of school. Across the school system, windows inside classrooms are broken, only open a few inches, or are windowless.
"The goal here is to have air flowing through these classrooms," said Lorraine Grillo, SCA president. "We have, in some schools, classrooms that have no windows so we have to make sure that the air filters are working, all of those things, to make sure there is good air flow going through that building. We have been working with the division of school facilities on any repairs that they deem that are necessary for SCA to do.
A report will be compiled and sent to the city DOE breaking down the status of each classroom in school buildings.
De Blasio emphasized that work to inspect school buildings and classrooms began well before the announcement, adding that crews with the DOE having already conducted walkthroughs to identify school buildings where ventilation needs to be addressed, as they typically do, he said. Teachers have also joined in walkthroughs as part of concerns addressed by the United Federation of Teachers, said Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza.
De Blasio stressed that the School Ventilation Action Teams add another layer of health and safety before students return to classroom on September 10th, the projected date for reopening.
"This is a final push before school opens. There's a lot of activity each year before school opens but we're adding elements to make sure we're going that extra mile to get everything right. And if there's a concern raised in that school we want to follow up on it," said de Blasio.
Inspection results for each school will be made available online by September 4th.
Tagged
COVID-19
schools
ventilation
David Cruz
David is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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