UNION, N.J. (PIX11) -- Hundreds of displaced students at a New Jersey elementary school shut down because of mold will have a new temporary classroom to go to starting Monday morning.
And it’s on a college campus.
Sunday night, hundreds of parents, along with some of their children, got a preview of the new and temporary classroom at Kean University while the mold problem was cleared up at Hannah Caldwell Elementary School.
“You’ll see what an amazing job the teachers did in setting up the classrooms for our children,” Dr. Gerry Benaquista, Union school superintendent, told the crowd.
First a pep talk from the Union school superintendent, Dr. Jerry Benaquista about the terrific job he says teachers and staff did in just 24 days to create temporary classrooms inside Kean University Liberty campus on Morris Avenue.
This was necessary after Hannah Caldwell was shut down because of mold problems that may have been plaguing the school for six years.
“It’s been an amazing adventure getting everyone together to get it done for the kids,” Ann Margaret Shannon, Pres. of Union Township Education Association.
Then some of the parents of the 540 students from kindergarten through fourth grade at Hannah Caldwell took a tour of two floors of classrooms at Kean University.
For some, it was a complicated maze, including a lunchroom, gym, and nurse’s office. There were mixed reactions.
“It’s a lot better than the gym that they had before, but it’s not as good as the school but it’s better,” Gavri Ramrattan, father of a second grader, told PIX11 News.
“I think they did a pretty great job,” Tiffany Granger, another parent of a second grader, told PIX11 News. “I wish there were more window space but she (the teacher) did a great job,” she added.
Some parents are still trying to figure out who deserves the blame for a mold problem at Hannah Caldwell on the ceiling tiles, vents, and shades that may have dated back to 2018.
“Within the building, you have the maintainers, and who the maintainers report to, and then the people who fund them and provide solutions to the problems,” Terrence Wright, another parent, told PIX11 News. “I think they all share in the blame,” he added.
Kean University officials say that these temporary classrooms can be used through the end of the academic year.
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