Drinking water samples taken at each school in the Crawfordsville district have been cleared as safe, a recent report shows.
Discussed by board members during a public meeting Thursday at Hose Elementary, the domestic lead and potability tests performed by Water Services Group LLC listed harmful substances such as lead and coliform as absent or passable in school drinking water.
“I’m happy to say all of our buildings passed the (tests) and that we have clean, passable water,” Assistant Superintendent Dr. Rex Ryker said of the samples taken Jan. 20.
The term potability refers to any liquid that is safe to drink. Examination of the samples taken at Crawfordsville schools tested for a wide range of substances in addition to lead, including multiple types of coliform bacteria like E. coli.
All coliform types were listed as completely absent.
“Every domestic water sample passed the limitation level for lead as well as potability,” Water Services Group Consultant Mike Heirbrandt said.
The threshold limitation for lead in drinking water is 15ppb (parts per billion). Crawfordsville schools’ drinking water tested at .00153 parts per million.
In other business, the school board:
• Learned from Hose Principal Carol Starlin that Kindergarten Roundup dates have been scheduled for April 24.
She also commented on the Second Step pilot program and its success. More than 100 people from the three elementary schools attended a recent Second Step lecture in the Hose library last month to hear from eight teachers who have been attending Second Step classes at Butler University every Tuesday.
• Learned from Superintendent Dr. Scott Bowling that Montgomery County Education Fund grants are now available for teachers to apply. These relatively small grants have funded projects and helped teachers in need of additional educational tools in the past, he said.
Bowling also reported that a new after-school athletic club at Hoover Elementary has exceeded expectations. Originally allowing for 40 students, he said the school has received 145 requests to join. A second day of the weekly program was discussed to accommodate the number of students.
• Heard from Ryker that elementary reading coaches and administrators recently hosted representatives from the Town of Speedway school district, who are looking to model future reading programs from those at Crawfordsville. Avon Community Schools secondary instructional coach is said to have reached out, as well.
He also said the corporation’s safety team met recently to review plans in case of crisis or emergency. “Everything seems to be working,” he said.
• Approved the resignations of Michelle Justus, Walnut aide; Hannah Hearon, Crawfordsville High School administrative assistant; and Jada Myers, Nicholson aide.
