Sir John A. Assessment Report to be Released

The assessment report on Sir John A. Macdonald High School in Hubley will be released on May 28 at a community meeting at Beechville-Lakeside Timberlea School in Timberlea. The meeting, scheduled for 8 p.m., will also address concerns raised about water quality at the school. Representatives from the departments of Health, Environment and Labour and Education, and outside consultants will be present.

"This report is a comprehensive investigation of the school and its site," said Education Minister Jane Purves. "It provides us with the facts on the condition of the school facility and its environment, and should point to how we ensure the safety of students and staff at Sir John A."

The report, co-ordinated by O'Halloran Campbell Consultants Ltd., is an evaluation of the testing performed on the school since February 2002. Testing was conducted on the school's interior and its environment. The report focuses on indoor air quality, building structure, school layout, environmental conditions and access to the site. The mechanical and electrical systems and general maintenance and operations were also investigated.

The education minister said that the scope of the assessment is the largest ever conducted in a Nova Scotia school.

"The Sir John A. parents, staff and students helped guide the assessment by telling us their concerns," said Ms. Purves. "We performed additional tests at their request to ensure that every issue was addressed."

Recent tests on the school's water supply indicated that the level of Lead210 in the water was above Health Canada's guideline values for drinking water. Additional tests will be conducted, but the results will not be ready for the release of this report.

Sir John A. Macdonald students have been attending classes at Charles P. Allen High School on a split-shift basis during the assessment. The Halifax Regional School Board closed the school on Feb. 26.

The team evaluating the facility includes the staff of the departments of Education and Transportation and Public Works and several consultants. Beechville-Lakeside Timberlea School is located at 24 James St., Timberlea.