MARCH 2020 • LONGISLANDPRESS.COM 47
Northport Middle School (Photo courtesy of Northport-East Northport Union Free School District)
PARENTS FUMING MAD
BY KRISTEN CATALANO
After Northport Middle School was recently closed due to toxins being found on campus,
concerns are growing over how the closure will impact the education of nearly 700 students
who were transferred to other schools as a result.
Parents and students aired those concerns to the Northport-East Northport Schools Board
of Education at its meeting on February 6, when the board gave an update on the situation.
“We owe our children the best,” Kelly Schwartz, a concerned parent, told the school board.
“Let’s not pretend that the education is the same. It’s not. Let’s not pretend that the social
and emotional aspects of middle school haven’t changed. They have. Yes, children are
resilient, but let’s not continue to test their resilience. We need a plan.”
The students were transferred in January after the school’s environmental fi rm, PW Grosser
Consulting Inc. (PWGC), reported to the school district that soil samples from two different
septic systems at Northport Middle School contained elevated levels of benzene and
mercury that will require further remediation per the Suffolk County Department of Health
WHAT’S INSIDE Services. continued on page 48
49 ACTS OF
KINDNESS
49 50TIPS
PETS PARENTING
FAMILY & EDUCATION
NORTHPORT MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS DISPLACED BY TOXINS FEAR IMPACT ON EDUCATION
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