Malibu High Update: Task Force Outlines Goals

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Temporary fencing was installed in 2010 due to trenching work for a new information technology room at at the Malibu Middle and High School Campus. Soil containing elevated levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) was also removed in 2010, but some teachers believe the recent diagnoses of three colleagues with thyroid cancer may be related to contaminants at the campus. 

A Malibu Schools Environmental Task Force met for the first time Thursday to put together a game-plan as the school district evaluates health concerns at Malibu High School. The group decided to immediately remove mold from a room at Juan Cabrillo Elementary and release the latest mold testing results from Malibu High.

Supt. Sandra Lyon called the meeting “productive and successful” in a statement released Friday. A group of 13 reps including teachers, students, parents, city officials and school staff convened at Malibu High with Lyon, district CFO Jan Maez and environmental consultant Mark Katchen, who has been retained by the school district.

Lyon outline the group’s overall goals as:

-Immediate action will be taken to: 
1. Remove visible mold in Room 12 at Juan Cabrillo Elementary School
2. Release the report of the latest mold sampling at MHS 
3. Post the asbestos management plan for MHS and Juan Cabrillo

-The testing protocols must yield scientifically solid, reliable data that will guide proper conclusions and any necessary action.

-There is a tremendous sense of urgency to gather data, and answer questions and concerns, but the task force agreed that adequate time must be provided to ensure the process is inclusive of community input. 

-Fact sheets will be developed in response to community questions, in both English and Spanish and posted to: smmusd.org/PublicNotices/Malibu.html. 

Public comments and questions can be sent into mhsfaq@smmusd.org.

The task force is scheduled to meet next Thurs., Oct. 24 at 10 a.m. and “continue to meet weekly as necessary.”

Consultant inspects campuses

Katchen also met with staff at Malibu High School and Juan Cabrillo earlier this week for a walk-through.

“Additionally, he is reviewing all technical reports…to advise future testing and to address community concerns,” Lyon said.

The district plans on cooperating with a group of Malibu parents that has hired its own consultant for input on the environmental quality of the schools.

For Lyon’s full media statement, see attached PDF at left.


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