Updates: from The Seattle Times , it appears that Franklin High School was also closed yesterday due to COVID and staffing issues. As well, Also on Monday, Lake Washington High School in Kirkland shifted back to remote learning temporarily, according to a statement on the school’s website . The shift was due to COVID-related staffing shortages, other illnesses, and absences. On Monday and Tuesday, Lake Washington students will be learning independently from home (asynchronous learning) while staff plan to make the switch to live online learning with a teacher (synchronous learning). On Jan. 19, students will return to in-person learning. Last week, state schools superintendent Chris Reykdal warned that some local school districts may need to close temporarily over the next three to four weeks. While state-mandated preventive measures make schools among the safer public spaces, a lack of staff may force a district or individual school building to shut down, he said. And here's the
Comments
Elem Parent
We live in a city!
Having freeway access is a perk, IMO.
Exposure to vehicle emissions can reduce lung function in children and increase the risk of asthma. Children are especially vulnerable because their lungs are still forming. The health effects can be permanent, and go unnoticed, since symptoms of reduced lung function may not appear until a 10-20% reduction in lung function has occurred (ARB, 2007). Studies from California resulted in a school citing rule of no closer than 500 ft. from a freeway. John Marshall is 150-200 ft. from the freeway. JSIS, TOPS, and Maple are also close to the freeway, but as reiterated previously, “just because an existing school falls within that distance, doesn't mean it's wise to put additional school children in similar locations.“ JM is especially bad since it sits below the freeway with no physical or natural barrier. Simply keeping the windows closed on the building will not protect students and staff from exposure to the ultrafine particulates. One researcher equated living or working in such close proximity to the freeway to taking up smoking.
http://www.arb.ca.gov/research/health/healthup/march07.pdf
http://www.arb.ca.gov/research/health/healthup/dec04.pdf
http://www.scpcs.ucla.edu/news/Freeway.pdf
Distance from the freeway is a significant factor, and there is a big difference between being 150 ft. from the source vs 500 ft. from the source. It's not a linear relationship. I-5 has a significantly higher traffic volume than Aurora. More vehicles = higher concentrations.
perk?