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<p>WHEREAS: CPS <a href="https://z2policy.ctspublish.com/masc/browse/cambridgeset/cambridge/FA/z2Code_FA">policy </a>states that, “The Cambridge School Committee believes that any educational program is influenced greatly by the environment in which it functions.  The development of a quality educational program and school facilities that help to implement the program must go hand in hand. Therefore, it is the School Committee's goal to provide the facilities needed for the number of students in the school district, and to provide the kind of facilities that will best support and accommodate the educational program;” and</p> <p>WHEREAS: CPS <a href="https://z2policy.ctspublish.com/masc/browse/cambridgeset/cambridge/ECB">policy </a>charges the Chief Operating Officer with maintenance, improvement, and repair responsibilities; and</p> <p>WHEREAS: Students at the High School Extension Program and Tobin Montessori school are currently housed in the district’s swing space, the old Longfellow School building; and </p> <p>WHEREAS: Montessori pedagogy considers the learning environment the “third teacher” (after the teacher and the student); and</p> <p>WHEREAS: Portions of the roof of the Longfellow building have been deteriorating over an extended period of time, causing water to periodically leak onto an area of the second floor of the building; and</p> <p>WHEREAS: The Cambridge Public Schools are firmly committed to maintaining learning environments that in no way constitute a health hazard to students, staff, and other building occupants; and </p> <p>WHEREAS: The Committee reaffirms its commitment to teaching and learning environments that foster enthusiasm and health, as well as a sense of respect for students and educators; and</p> <p>WHEREAS: The Superintendent previously directed that air quality testing occur to ensure that no harmful exposure, including but not limited to mold and asbestos, is present in the Longfellow building due to the deteriorating roof and associated leaking; and </p> <p>WHEREAS: Air quality testing for purposes of mold detection will be conducted on Thursday, March 2, 2023, and preliminary findings will be provided to the School Committee immediately; and</p> <p>WHEREAS: Additional testing for asbestos has been scheduled to occur as soon as possible on an upcoming Saturday, in order to avoid the disturbance that such testing would cause to educational programming in the building; now, therefore, be it </p> <p>RESOLVED: That the Superintendent will direct the Chief Operating Officer to report immediately to the Committee on the data collected as part of that asbestos testing; and be it further </p> <p>RESOLVED: That the Superintendent will instruct the COO to confer with environmental engineering consultants as necessary to determine the safety of the Longfellow building for inhabitants based on the data accumulated through the aforementioned testing; and be it further </p> <p>RESOLVED: That the Superintendent will instruct the COO to provide an anticipated timeline for any necessary roofing repairs as well as any operational implications for such repairs such as the potential temporary and/or relocation of programming affecting students and staff by the next regular School Committee meeting, March 21, 2023.</p>