'Different, but good.' Kean University hosts Union elementary students forced out by mold issue
Monday morning will mark a third first day of school for the nearly 300 students of Hannah Caldwell Elementary in Union. Their new home - for the rest of the school year - will be inside the 1085 Morris Ave. building at Kean University.
For some Union Township elementary students, it’s off to college.
Monday morning will mark a third first day of school for the nearly 300 students of Hannah Caldwell Elementary in Union. Their new home - for the rest of the school year - will be inside the 1085 Morris Ave. building at Kean University while the Caldwell School remediates mold.
Families got to see their children’s temporary classrooms Sunday night.
“It’s different, but good,” said parent Nedra Gordon. “It sounds like it’s a very secure building.”
“It makes me feel a little bit more comfortable to see the surroundings,” said parent Alyse Obanye. “I’m just curious about how the schedule is going to go, especially with gym and lunch.”
After mold was found in the school’s library and classrooms, class had been moved to other district schools in open spaces, like gyms. The district is offering a bus from the town's Boys and Girls Club to Kean.
“[My daughter’s] old school was less than five minutes for me to get to,” Obanye said. “And now, this is like a 15-, 17-minute drive, depending on the traffic.“
“Being that it’s a little distance with the traffic, most likely [my son will] be taking the bus,” Gordon said.
School administrators said moving class online was not a healthy option. Now, the district can use a newly-acquired Kean building at no cost. In exchange, the district will offer opportunities for Kean teaching students through a partnership.
“Four days ago, the space that you're going to see was open,” said Superintendent Dr. Gerry Benaquista. “Over a short period of time, we created about 40 classrooms. I know the smiles from the kids [Monday], walking in and seeing it, are going to be so amazed at what their space looks like now, compared to maybe being three or four classes in a gym.”
The district has not said how long it will take to remediate the mold.
