By: Elizabeth Becker Senior
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The Spartan Defender is the newspaper produced by the E-writing class of Sparta High School, located in (you guessed it) Sparta, WI. Please send any comments or complaints to thespartandefender@gmail.com. We thank you for your comments and support!
Thursday, January 21, 2010
(Fictional) Asbestos Quarantine In Sparta High School
By: Elizabeth Becker
Sixteen students and facility at Sparta High School were quarantined on Thursday, January 21, 2010 due to an asbestos outbreak in room 403. Mr. Troy Tiedens's E-writing class along with assistant principal Mr. Dale Stafslien will be quarantined for 24 hours until 9:40AM on Friday, January 22nd, 2010. The affected were moved to a save environment to be quarantined inside the school and await testing.
A desk was dropped on a tile breaking it allowing asbestos to be exposed, the time at which it was exposed and for how long it was exposed is unknown. After gaining knowledge of the exposure the school contacted emergency response agencies like the national institute for standards and technology, the Fort McCoy Hazardous Material (Hazmat) Team. The Hazmat team also found that there were pipes with wrapping that had come off.. The High School also notified the city of Sparta and Parents of Sparta High School Students. Chief Brian VanWormer, Sparta Asst. Chief Ted Richmond, and Tomah Asst. Chief Larry Woodliff are the people who would be contacted during an outbreak like this.
The schools insurance will cover all medical bills for anyone affected by the asbestos as long as they did not previously have asthma or were exposed to smoking; first or second hand. Anyone exposed to smoke before being exposed to asbestos runs the risk of getting cancer or mesothelioma. Check ups will also be covered by the schools insurance, also covered are medical bills later on in life if problems due to the asbestos breakout at the high school. Students and Staff will be tested to make sure they weren't affected by the asbestos imbedded in lung their lungs. The fibers of asbestos can build up and cause a person to stop breathing. Being provided to the students during quarantine are the necessities such as food and water. Unfortunately there is no cure to rid a person of the fibers. The only way to get asbestos is by breathing in the fibers first hand; its not contagious.
Room 403 is the only room containing exposed asbestos; to prevent anyone else from harm the room was sealed off. This room will not be available for use for several weeks because of the removing of everything down to the concrete and pipes. The next step is to sterilize everything and replace everything with new asbestos free product.
Asbestos was a man made product often used during the 60's; The older part of the building was constructed in 1962. It was a significantly used textile and was very cost effective. Through out the 80's schools had asbestos removed, it was commonly found in gyms. When he product is found in school they don't get into any trouble because its widely used and still found in many products. Other products containing asbestos are cement, shingles, roofing felt, clothing, auto transmissions components in cars, disk pads, break locks, gaskets, and millboard. It was so commonly used because its resistant to heat and keeps it well meaning that its difficult to heat up but once it heated it doesn't radiate the heat. Its also used for fire proofing and acoustic insolation because it controls vibration and sound better. It is not harmful until exposed to airborne asbestos fibers. The only way to come in contact with airborne fibers is by breaking something containing asbestos.
Assistant Principal said "It would be nice to tear everything down and start over new," but the school doesn't have the money to do this. It would cost millions of dollars to rebuild the school. Sparta High School may have a population decrease because of this incident. Parents may feel the need to pull their students out of a school they feel could be "unsafe."
Sixteen students and facility at Sparta High School were quarantined on Thursday, January 21, 2010 due to an asbestos outbreak in room 403. Mr. Troy Tiedens's E-writing class along with assistant principal Mr. Dale Stafslien will be quarantined for 24 hours until 9:40AM on Friday, January 22nd, 2010. The affected were moved to a save environment to be quarantined inside the school and await testing.
A desk was dropped on a tile breaking it allowing asbestos to be exposed, the time at which it was exposed and for how long it was exposed is unknown. After gaining knowledge of the exposure the school contacted emergency response agencies like the national institute for standards and technology, the Fort McCoy Hazardous Material (Hazmat) Team. The Hazmat team also found that there were pipes with wrapping that had come off.. The High School also notified the city of Sparta and Parents of Sparta High School Students. Chief Brian VanWormer, Sparta Asst. Chief Ted Richmond, and Tomah Asst. Chief Larry Woodliff are the people who would be contacted during an outbreak like this.
The schools insurance will cover all medical bills for anyone affected by the asbestos as long as they did not previously have asthma or were exposed to smoking; first or second hand. Anyone exposed to smoke before being exposed to asbestos runs the risk of getting cancer or mesothelioma. Check ups will also be covered by the schools insurance, also covered are medical bills later on in life if problems due to the asbestos breakout at the high school. Students and Staff will be tested to make sure they weren't affected by the asbestos imbedded in lung their lungs. The fibers of asbestos can build up and cause a person to stop breathing. Being provided to the students during quarantine are the necessities such as food and water. Unfortunately there is no cure to rid a person of the fibers. The only way to get asbestos is by breathing in the fibers first hand; its not contagious.
Room 403 is the only room containing exposed asbestos; to prevent anyone else from harm the room was sealed off. This room will not be available for use for several weeks because of the removing of everything down to the concrete and pipes. The next step is to sterilize everything and replace everything with new asbestos free product.
Asbestos was a man made product often used during the 60's; The older part of the building was constructed in 1962. It was a significantly used textile and was very cost effective. Through out the 80's schools had asbestos removed, it was commonly found in gyms. When he product is found in school they don't get into any trouble because its widely used and still found in many products. Other products containing asbestos are cement, shingles, roofing felt, clothing, auto transmissions components in cars, disk pads, break locks, gaskets, and millboard. It was so commonly used because its resistant to heat and keeps it well meaning that its difficult to heat up but once it heated it doesn't radiate the heat. Its also used for fire proofing and acoustic insolation because it controls vibration and sound better. It is not harmful until exposed to airborne asbestos fibers. The only way to come in contact with airborne fibers is by breaking something containing asbestos.
Assistant Principal said "It would be nice to tear everything down and start over new," but the school doesn't have the money to do this. It would cost millions of dollars to rebuild the school. Sparta High School may have a population decrease because of this incident. Parents may feel the need to pull their students out of a school they feel could be "unsafe."
Asbestos leak leads to quarantine (Fictional)
the outbreak occurred after a tile was broken open after a desk was thrown on top of it. Once broken, dangerous fibers, believed to be asbestos fibers, were released into the air.
The major concern surrounding the outbreak is the effects of Asbestos on the lungs. Asbestos particles are actually fibers that collect on the inside of your lungs. Prolonged exposure to the fibers can start to form a layer, or a coating in your lungs, eventually shrinking the size of your lungs. This can also lead to a very rare and untreatable form of cancer called Mesothelioma.
Mesothelioma is usually contracted by mine workers or those who help in the making of asbestos based materials in which they are exposed to the dangerous fibers. However, it can be obtained if a seal is broken on the product that is being used and sufficient amounts of fiber is released into the air.
The side effects of Mesothelioma has been know for the last twenty years, since about 1989. The school, and many other, had willingly replaced many of the asbestos holding materials. The gym was completely redone to minimize the amount of asbestos around, and the ceiling were changed as well. However, the tiles on the floors were not changed, for the reason that normal classroom activity will not cause a tile to break nd release the harmful chemicals.
CJ Anderson
When asked about the quarantine, Stafslien said that the students and teacher were put into it to to ensure their safety, and to test to make sure they don't have any fibers in their lungs, or that they get medical treatment. Also, officials were unsure of exactly where the outbreak happened, so they want to make sure no further contamination occurred.
Stafslien also went on to say that the school will cover any medical bills that are accumulated due to this incident. However, he also stated that if Asthma or regular smoke inhalation, second hand or first hand, would mean that the school was not liable for any medical expenses, for the asbestos was in no way related to the preexisting condition or lifestyle choice.
The students and their teacher will be released tomorrow after the 24 hour quarantine ends, and school will continue as planned.
Asbestos Breakout (Fiction)
Dale Stafslien walked into room 403 on January 21, 2010 to inform the students that they have been to asbestos particles and have a risk of developing lung cancer, mesothelioma, and other harmful health side effects. The cause of the exposure is for cracking tiles and water leaks in the ceiling that caused the plastic wrap around the material to come loose. As to those who do not know what asbestos is, it is a man made material used to insulate and for other purposes. The effects from the asbestos is very uncomfortable.
Stafslien stated, "As the asbestos fibers are inhaled into your system they could attach to your lungs, building up and suffocating you slowly".
The reason asbestos is in the school is because back in the mid to late sixties asbestos was a very popular material used to use in buildings as insulator. Asbestos is well for keeping the heat within the building and is also fire resistant. In the sixties people were not aware of the harmful effects that could come from asbestos. Over time the asbestos throughout the school has been replaced but some parts of the school has not been for example room 403. The chances of developing lung cancer from asbestos is unlikely but is possible.
Stafslien said, "The students who are in room 403 at this time will be locked up and the students will be tested for any asbestos particles and or any health effects that may come from asbestos".
Stafsflien added, "No one is to enter or leave the room until twenty four hours have passed".
The school though is helping out in this situation by covering the students affected by asbestos under the school insurance. The school insurance only applies to those who do not have any previous conditions that would increase the risk for developing harmful health issues. Examples of what would not be covered by the schools insurance would be if you are or were exposed to smoking environments for periods of time and previous health issues such as asthma. There is no known cure for exposures to asbestos. That means later on in life if you have an illness that all evidence points to asbestos as being the cause for this illness that the schools insurance would pay for everything. As long as you weren't exposed to smoking environments and if you didn't have any existing health problems.
Stafslien finished his announcement by saying, "Please stay calm and we will try to make this a comfortable as possible".
Stafslien stated, "As the asbestos fibers are inhaled into your system they could attach to your lungs, building up and suffocating you slowly".
The reason asbestos is in the school is because back in the mid to late sixties asbestos was a very popular material used to use in buildings as insulator. Asbestos is well for keeping the heat within the building and is also fire resistant. In the sixties people were not aware of the harmful effects that could come from asbestos. Over time the asbestos throughout the school has been replaced but some parts of the school has not been for example room 403. The chances of developing lung cancer from asbestos is unlikely but is possible.
Stafslien said, "The students who are in room 403 at this time will be locked up and the students will be tested for any asbestos particles and or any health effects that may come from asbestos".
Stafsflien added, "No one is to enter or leave the room until twenty four hours have passed".
The school though is helping out in this situation by covering the students affected by asbestos under the school insurance. The school insurance only applies to those who do not have any previous conditions that would increase the risk for developing harmful health issues. Examples of what would not be covered by the schools insurance would be if you are or were exposed to smoking environments for periods of time and previous health issues such as asthma. There is no known cure for exposures to asbestos. That means later on in life if you have an illness that all evidence points to asbestos as being the cause for this illness that the schools insurance would pay for everything. As long as you weren't exposed to smoking environments and if you didn't have any existing health problems.
Stafslien finished his announcement by saying, "Please stay calm and we will try to make this a comfortable as possible".
Asbestos Problem In the High School (Fictional)
Dale Stafslien, a staff member at the Sparta High School, came in a class and explained the situation to a class to let the students know what is happening. Stafslien said, "The best way to save money to replace the tiles and roofing was to simply wait for things to break. Once they broke they had to be replaced anyway so the new tiles and roofing that came in did not have the asbestos problem. "
There is suppose to be a room that has this problem. What will happen is the school will hire agencies to get rid of all the fibers that are in the room. They will come in orange suits, face masks, and air tanks. the room will be sealed off so no one will be able to go in there unless they are working replacing the roofing or tiles. To get people from getting fibers in their lungs, there will be a 24 hour precaution. This is going to help people from being infected by asbestos.
Stafslien also said, "If someone were to get asbestos and it was proven they got it from the high school, the high school have to cover their medical bills. If the person is a smoker or is around smoking, their chances of getting asbestos in their lungs will be higher than people who do not smoke or are not around people who do smoke. If the person who gets asbestos is or around a smoker, the school is not responsible for covering their medical bills because they already had complications before they got asbestos."
Finally, Stafslien said, "If asbestos gets in your lungs, the fibers attach onto the lungs and will make your lungs smaller. If your lungs get smaller you will have less air going in and out of them which makes it a lot harder to breathe."
Asbestos is not contagious but it can easily be spread to your lungs through the air from the tiles or roofing. Fibers will go unnoticed and you will be breathe them in and eventually they will take over your lungs. There is no healing this so it will always be hard to breathe.
Sparta High's Asbestos Breakout (fictional)
Sparta High's Asbestos Breakout (Fiction)
Kristin Piotrowski
Students at Sparta High School were quarantined on January 21st, 2010 due to a broken tile from a fallen desk and fallen heat wraps off of pipes caused by a water leak. These accidents have caused a possible outbreak of asbestos and students in the room at the time have been quarantined off for 24 hours for their own safety as well as vice principle Dale Stafslien and English teacher Troy Tiedens making a total of 16 people.
Asbestos has been used in tiles and piping for many of years because of its great use as an insulator, and then it wasn't known to be so dangerous to the lungs. Asbestos is a fiber that attaches itself onto the lungs when it is breathed in causing the lungs to become smaller and smaller, making you more susceptible to colds and pneumonia. Asbestos is not only found in walls but also in cars, cement, roofing materials, and used for fireproofing, and is harmless until it becomes loose and can be breathed in.
Sparta High School is only doing this precautionary quarantine for the students that were exposed to the potentially dangerous contaminant for their own safety. They are awaiting medical examination on the lungs to make sure we are safe. Sparta High Schools insurance will cover all expenses on the students unless they are smokers, due to the increased risk as a smoker.
The broken tile and pipe will be replaced with materials that do not contain asbestos but they will not be replacing all of the pipes or tiles. It costs to much to replace everything in the school and as long as they are properly in place, they do not pose a health risk.
Asbestos was not always known to be dangerous, and since only the 1980's did they become aware of its harmful qualities. The infected room will take a few weeks before it is safe to reenter and it will need to be stripped to the bare bottom. The tiles will be removed down to the cement and they piping will also be replaced. There is a vent that runs outside to let out the harmful contaminants and when the room is reopened it will basically be sterilized.
Stafslien says that there is no need to worry and that it is just a precautionary movement to help prevent greater damage and all families and school affiliates have been notified of the accident.
Kristin Piotrowski
Students at Sparta High School were quarantined on January 21st, 2010 due to a broken tile from a fallen desk and fallen heat wraps off of pipes caused by a water leak. These accidents have caused a possible outbreak of asbestos and students in the room at the time have been quarantined off for 24 hours for their own safety as well as vice principle Dale Stafslien and English teacher Troy Tiedens making a total of 16 people.
Asbestos has been used in tiles and piping for many of years because of its great use as an insulator, and then it wasn't known to be so dangerous to the lungs. Asbestos is a fiber that attaches itself onto the lungs when it is breathed in causing the lungs to become smaller and smaller, making you more susceptible to colds and pneumonia. Asbestos is not only found in walls but also in cars, cement, roofing materials, and used for fireproofing, and is harmless until it becomes loose and can be breathed in.
Sparta High School is only doing this precautionary quarantine for the students that were exposed to the potentially dangerous contaminant for their own safety. They are awaiting medical examination on the lungs to make sure we are safe. Sparta High Schools insurance will cover all expenses on the students unless they are smokers, due to the increased risk as a smoker.
The broken tile and pipe will be replaced with materials that do not contain asbestos but they will not be replacing all of the pipes or tiles. It costs to much to replace everything in the school and as long as they are properly in place, they do not pose a health risk.
Asbestos was not always known to be dangerous, and since only the 1980's did they become aware of its harmful qualities. The infected room will take a few weeks before it is safe to reenter and it will need to be stripped to the bare bottom. The tiles will be removed down to the cement and they piping will also be replaced. There is a vent that runs outside to let out the harmful contaminants and when the room is reopened it will basically be sterilized.
Stafslien says that there is no need to worry and that it is just a precautionary movement to help prevent greater damage and all families and school affiliates have been notified of the accident.
Buttons Galore
Mrs. Beyers 1st and 2nd hour Intro to Business classes where on a quest to make a business that would be the most successful at selling buttons. The businesses money will go to the charity of the groups choice. "No one went to businesses around Sparta like they have in the past" Said Mrs. Julie Beyer Business teacher at Sparta high.
There are two businesses per hour, but they are all competing for the same goal to be the best business men and women. " The winning group or business will get the bucket" Said Julie" The bucket is filled with cheap little prizes including everything from little packs of gum to soap".
They would try to sell to students through out the school. The groups put up signs to get people to notice that they where selling buttons. "I think they should have made announcement because i didn't even know about the sale" Said Jesse Amundson Sparta high senior.
They used the badge-a-minit button making jig. "It doesn't work very well" said Wyatt Benzing Sparta high freshman.
They had about three weeks to get the most buttons sold and be the best sellers. "I think we could have used another week to do this project" said joel miller Sparta high freshman.
There are Thieves Among Us!
There have been thieves in Sparta high school for many years. There is always going to be thieves no matter where you go. "People that steal are the lowest of the low in society" said Chris Bollig Sparta high Junior.
Some people steal because they need food or something for their family and other thieves steal because it gives them an adrenaline rush but no matter how you look at it a thief is a thief. "I don't understand why people steal why don't they just go get a job" Said Dan Taylor a Sparta high senior.
When people steal and get away with it they think that it is ok to do it again and sooner or later will eventually get caught. "I wish every thief could be put on an island and not have to deal with them" said Chris.
The school is a safe place for all to feel welcome. "If school is safe why do we still have thieves" said Dan.
In a school all of your possessions should be safe from thieves you should be able to walk around wit your head up all the time knowing your stuff is safe. "I should be able to just set my stuff down and no have to worry about it even for a couple minutes" Said chris.
Asbestos Breakout At Sparta High (fictional)
Mass Asbestos Breakout in School
(Fictional)
Sparta High School was found out to have an asbestos breakout in an English classroom today. The breakout happened due to particles in the air from the tiles in the ground breaking when a desk was dropped, cracking the tiles. Also, there were signs of a leak in one of the pipes creating more of a breakout. Unfortunately, a handful of students were in the classroom at the time and are now in quarantine.
Dale Stafslien, one of the principals at the high school was interviewed on an update on the situation. "We have put the students in Troy Tiedans room for the time being. For safety measures, they will be in his room for twenty four hours." he said. People seemed concerned when he told them this and wanted to know more information about the asbestos and what could possibly happen to the students.
"We have used asbestos when the building was first built because the materials hold in heat as an insulator and also because its is very efficient." It is also found out that asbestos was maily used in a lot of things in the 1980's wen things were being built because it was the best thing that could be used. Unfortunatley there are many drawbacks in the case of something like this happening because te fibers that float around in the air can attatch on the inside of the lungs. when this happens in excess amounts, the fibers can layer over and over creating a smaller lung capacity making it very hard to breathe.
When Tiedans was asked what he thought on the situation he calmly replied, "I have faith in the school and its judgements." when he said this, it was rightly placed because Stafslien was asked what all has been done other than putting the students in quarantine.
"We have made all of the proper notifications of what is going on in the school. all of the students and staff know what to do and emails have gone out to the parents of the students to let them know what is going on and what to do." even though the small group of students are in quarantine, the school will still resume their finals and go about their business.
"After all of the students are gone, we will have the room cleaned up by a HAZMAT team and be repaired, which will take a few weeks. But when the 24 hours are done, the students will be checked to see if they have been infected by the asbestos or not." Stafslien said when asked what the plan of action was.
When it came to the possibility of a student who was infected, Stafslien said that all medical coverage will be done by the school.
(Fictional)
Sparta High School was found out to have an asbestos breakout in an English classroom today. The breakout happened due to particles in the air from the tiles in the ground breaking when a desk was dropped, cracking the tiles. Also, there were signs of a leak in one of the pipes creating more of a breakout. Unfortunately, a handful of students were in the classroom at the time and are now in quarantine.
Dale Stafslien, one of the principals at the high school was interviewed on an update on the situation. "We have put the students in Troy Tiedans room for the time being. For safety measures, they will be in his room for twenty four hours." he said. People seemed concerned when he told them this and wanted to know more information about the asbestos and what could possibly happen to the students.
"We have used asbestos when the building was first built because the materials hold in heat as an insulator and also because its is very efficient." It is also found out that asbestos was maily used in a lot of things in the 1980's wen things were being built because it was the best thing that could be used. Unfortunatley there are many drawbacks in the case of something like this happening because te fibers that float around in the air can attatch on the inside of the lungs. when this happens in excess amounts, the fibers can layer over and over creating a smaller lung capacity making it very hard to breathe.
When Tiedans was asked what he thought on the situation he calmly replied, "I have faith in the school and its judgements." when he said this, it was rightly placed because Stafslien was asked what all has been done other than putting the students in quarantine.
"We have made all of the proper notifications of what is going on in the school. all of the students and staff know what to do and emails have gone out to the parents of the students to let them know what is going on and what to do." even though the small group of students are in quarantine, the school will still resume their finals and go about their business.
"After all of the students are gone, we will have the room cleaned up by a HAZMAT team and be repaired, which will take a few weeks. But when the 24 hours are done, the students will be checked to see if they have been infected by the asbestos or not." Stafslien said when asked what the plan of action was.
When it came to the possibility of a student who was infected, Stafslien said that all medical coverage will be done by the school.
Fictional: Students Quarantined from Asbestos
Less than 24 hours ago heat wraps and broken tiles filled the air in a room student of Sparta high school that had 14 Sparta high students and one faculty member. "A desk was dropped on the floor and water broke the heat warps on the pipes" Said Dale Stafslien Sparta high Principal.
There was only one room affected by the asbestos. "the room will be sealed off from the rest of the school" said Dale.
They use asbestos because it is a great insulator of heat. It is found in materials all around you including brake pads, cement, shingles, some clothing, and gaskets are just a few of the places you will find asbestos. The school has asbestos because it was built when they thought nothing of asbestos being bad for humans. "The school has not ever had to deal with an asbestos break out ever before" said Dale.
The school will have to close off that section of the school. "They will call in a hazmat team to take care of the asbestos" said Dale.
The school will notify the parents school and community about the asbestos breakout. The school will not be shut down because of this breakout. "The school will run the same as it always has" said Dale.
the student that where involved will be quarantined in room 403 of Sparta high school. They will have their lungs checked and people making sure they are breathing correctly. "The school does this to band-aid the break-out." said Dale.
The school will be covering all of the students medical costs from the asbestos. If they have problems later on in life because of this the school would in fact have to cover their medical costs after it is shown that it is from asbestos. "The school would put it on their insurance" said Dale.
Some of the schools pipes still have the asbestos heat wraps and the tiles are still made of asbestos. This could pose a health risk but it would be to expensive to remove all the asbestos. "We just wait till something breaks to fix it because it would be very expensive to remove all asbestos"said Dale.
Asbestos can cause lung cancer, asbestosis, and mesothelioma all asbestos is in your lungs and once it attaches to your lungs it will be there forever. "The school doesn't see it as a big risk but they have program readiness when and if it happens" said Dale.
SHS students Quarantined (fictional)
By: Kimberly Becker
Sparta High School students were quarantined for twenty four hours because of exposure to asbestosis in one of the classrooms. “You will be quarantined in this room for twenty four hours” said Dale Stafslien, “The students are in a safe room and the asbestosis is not contagious.”
The exposure was from the heat pipes that were damaged from a water leak and some of the tiles that were broken. “A desk broke tiles when someone dropped it” said Stafslien. The asbestosis is used in rooms all over the school. “It has been used since the late 60’s” said Stafslien.
The students are now at risk for lung cancer and other lung diseases. “There is not a big risk for the students, but we want to make sure nothing is wrong” said Stafslien, “If people have asthma or have been around smoke their medical bills will not be covered”
Many of the classrooms still have the asbestos in it. Some of it has been removed, but not all of it. “The asbestosis is cost effective. We are going to wait till the other tiles break for us to get new insulation in those rooms” said Stafslien. The room that was just recently exposed is getting cleaned and fixed right now. “It will take a couple of weeks. The room and hallway is closed and sealed in with plastic” Said Stafslien, “There will be trained people coming in to remove all the asbestosis and put new insulation in. Agencies from asbestosis labs, emergency response teams, and the has mat team from fort McCoy.
Asbestosis is found in other places than just schools. It is found in homes on the roof and in the basement. It is also found in cars in their braking system. “Many places are built with asbestos because it works well and is cheap” said Stafslien, “It was found out until the 80’s that asbestos was dangerous when inhaled.”
School will still resume as normal. Students and staff are not aloud in the closed of areas of the school. There is still a risk of losing students from the school. Parents might feel there child is still at risk. “They might be pulled. It is up to the parents” said Stafslien.
As for the students, they are in a frightening situation. Tesia Moore said “It is scary to be in this situation especially for the people that have asthma or the people that have been around smoke.”
Sparta High School students were quarantined for twenty four hours because of exposure to asbestosis in one of the classrooms. “You will be quarantined in this room for twenty four hours” said Dale Stafslien, “The students are in a safe room and the asbestosis is not contagious.”
The exposure was from the heat pipes that were damaged from a water leak and some of the tiles that were broken. “A desk broke tiles when someone dropped it” said Stafslien. The asbestosis is used in rooms all over the school. “It has been used since the late 60’s” said Stafslien.
The students are now at risk for lung cancer and other lung diseases. “There is not a big risk for the students, but we want to make sure nothing is wrong” said Stafslien, “If people have asthma or have been around smoke their medical bills will not be covered”
Many of the classrooms still have the asbestos in it. Some of it has been removed, but not all of it. “The asbestosis is cost effective. We are going to wait till the other tiles break for us to get new insulation in those rooms” said Stafslien. The room that was just recently exposed is getting cleaned and fixed right now. “It will take a couple of weeks. The room and hallway is closed and sealed in with plastic” Said Stafslien, “There will be trained people coming in to remove all the asbestosis and put new insulation in. Agencies from asbestosis labs, emergency response teams, and the has mat team from fort McCoy.
Asbestosis is found in other places than just schools. It is found in homes on the roof and in the basement. It is also found in cars in their braking system. “Many places are built with asbestos because it works well and is cheap” said Stafslien, “It was found out until the 80’s that asbestos was dangerous when inhaled.”
School will still resume as normal. Students and staff are not aloud in the closed of areas of the school. There is still a risk of losing students from the school. Parents might feel there child is still at risk. “They might be pulled. It is up to the parents” said Stafslien.
As for the students, they are in a frightening situation. Tesia Moore said “It is scary to be in this situation especially for the people that have asthma or the people that have been around smoke.”
Outbreak of asbestos at Sparta Highschool (Fictional)
By Crystal Achterkirch
At Sparta Highschool at 9:50 a.m. on 1/22/10 students where in E-Writing doing final when they were now Quartime in 403 for 24 hours.
Students where in a room together when they went to do there E-Writing Final. When the teacher told the students that the room that they were just in had asbestos and that 14 students where going to be quarantine for 24 hours. They were going to be tests and checking the lungs to sick if they where sick from the disease.
The room that was now taped.The pipes broke and the titles from the roof came down. The room was going to be clean and taken apart. Just the teacher Mr. Troy Tieden's , the spokesmen for school was now with the students for 24 hours. There is not cure for this disease. The students who have asthma or smoke or who have second hand spoke would not be covered by the school. The other students,teachers,parnets and the cites has been already nofited.
The other rooms have been already check for this and found nothing. The affected room would be closed for weeks. It would been shut down and will be sealed with plastic. The room which the 16 people door is sealed and food will been given to them but the person would have to have a suit.The School would not be closes and classes would be going on as usual. If Students who do not have asthma or suffer from Smoke if sick would be covered form the school. If sick from a cold would not affect you. We are in contact by asbestos everyday by some clothing,auto stuff in the car,heating,fireproofing and in the floor.
The Agency's would do the cleaning.The National Institute Technology would do the cleaning up to .
At Sparta Highschool at 9:50 a.m. on 1/22/10 students where in E-Writing doing final when they were now Quartime in 403 for 24 hours.
Students where in a room together when they went to do there E-Writing Final. When the teacher told the students that the room that they were just in had asbestos and that 14 students where going to be quarantine for 24 hours. They were going to be tests and checking the lungs to sick if they where sick from the disease.
The room that was now taped.The pipes broke and the titles from the roof came down. The room was going to be clean and taken apart. Just the teacher Mr. Troy Tieden's , the spokesmen for school was now with the students for 24 hours. There is not cure for this disease. The students who have asthma or smoke or who have second hand spoke would not be covered by the school. The other students,teachers,parnets and the cites has been already nofited.
The other rooms have been already check for this and found nothing. The affected room would be closed for weeks. It would been shut down and will be sealed with plastic. The room which the 16 people door is sealed and food will been given to them but the person would have to have a suit.The School would not be closes and classes would be going on as usual. If Students who do not have asthma or suffer from Smoke if sick would be covered form the school. If sick from a cold would not affect you. We are in contact by asbestos everyday by some clothing,auto stuff in the car,heating,fireproofing and in the floor.
The Agency's would do the cleaning.The National Institute Technology would do the cleaning up to .
Quarantine at Sparta High School (Fiction)
A Sparta High School class was quarantined on Thursday, January 21 due to exposure to asbestos. The exposure to these asbestos fibers was due to a broken floor tile and a few broken heat wraps in a room in the English Department. The floor tile was broken due to a desk being dropped, causing the tiles to also loosen. The heat wraps were discovered by a repairman inspecting the pipes due to a water leak. The repairman found that the wraps had come off of the pipes.
Asbestos is a mineral fiber that was commonly used in numerous building construction materials like cement, shingles, and roofing felt. It was a very popular because of its strength and heat resistance. It is also found in some clothing, car parts (brakes, transmission parts, and the clutch), gaskets, and specialty paper. When these asbestos-containing minerals are damaged, the fibers become airborne and can be inhaled in the lungs. Once in the lungs, asbestos can become a huge health problem. The fibers attach to a persons lungs, putting that person more at risk for lung disease, asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma. All of these problems are not curable.
So what's happening to the students in the classroom? "The students are quarantined for 24 hours." said Dale Stafslien, assistant principle at the school. According to the school, the 14 students, their teacher, and Stafslien, who willingly went into the classroom to tell the students what was going on, are all quarantined so the school can make sure they are all ok. They will have their lungs looked at to make sure no fibers have gotten into their lungs. If any fibers have gotten into their lungs, the school's insurance is going to cover all medical costs that might come of this incident.
While this class is quarantined, the room is being fixed and the asbestos is being removed. The school has known about the asbestos from the beginning, as it has been in the school since it was built, but due to cost, the only steps that can be taken to remove it are fixing things when they break. The school is handling the situation the best way possible and it should be known that they did not violate any rules. The school is not responsible for this unfortunate situation.
Fictional: Asbestosis Fibers
By: Tesia Moore
The Sparta high school students had been quarantined for twenty-four hours because asbestosis fibers were released. Dale Stafslien announced, “The fibers were released from the floor tiles and from the ceiling.” The asbestosis was then in the air. The floor tiles had been broken by a desk. They noticed the heat raps came off when they were inspecting the ceiling.
While being under quarantine you cannot leave for twenty-four hours or allow anyone to enter the room as well. Twenty-four hours is a precaution to make sure you are safe. Stafslien stated, “While being under quarantine you will be in a safe room while being cheeked.” They try to make you as comfortable for you as possible.
When being under quarantine you will be tested to make sure you are safe and that no harm was done. Stafslien stated, “If you’re a smoker asbestosis increases your risk of getting sick from asbestosis fibers.” Your lungs will be cheeked to make sure you haven’t been infected.
Stafslien said, “The asbestosis has been around since the building was built.” When the building was built asbestosis was considered the best to use. It is only harmful when it is open or broken. The only people that go into the infected room are people that are working on sterilizing the room.
Stafslien announced, “Once the room is sterilized it will be reopened.” While being under inspection everybody is notified and knows about the people who had been in the room as this happened.
If you get asbestosis fibers in your lungs and it affects your life then the school insurance will pay for your medical bills. Stafslien said, “If you are a smoker or have asthma we do not pay for the medical bill.”
If you’re exposed to asbestosis for a long time the fibers start to attach to your lungs and then it makes it harder for you to breath while you are running. Stafslien stated, “Once you have asbestosis fibers you cannot get rid of it.”
You can gave cheek ups later on in your life and the school insurance will still pay for that if they were responsible for it. Asbestosis is in cement, shingles on a roof, clothing, and a lot of things in your automotive part of your car.
Stafslien announced, “Parents might pull their students out of the school after all of this in fear of it happening again.” There are emergency responses for cases like asbestosis fibers. Asbestosis fibers are incredibly strong, and they are man made.
The Sparta high school students had been quarantined for twenty-four hours because asbestosis fibers were released. Dale Stafslien announced, “The fibers were released from the floor tiles and from the ceiling.” The asbestosis was then in the air. The floor tiles had been broken by a desk. They noticed the heat raps came off when they were inspecting the ceiling.
While being under quarantine you cannot leave for twenty-four hours or allow anyone to enter the room as well. Twenty-four hours is a precaution to make sure you are safe. Stafslien stated, “While being under quarantine you will be in a safe room while being cheeked.” They try to make you as comfortable for you as possible.
When being under quarantine you will be tested to make sure you are safe and that no harm was done. Stafslien stated, “If you’re a smoker asbestosis increases your risk of getting sick from asbestosis fibers.” Your lungs will be cheeked to make sure you haven’t been infected.
Stafslien said, “The asbestosis has been around since the building was built.” When the building was built asbestosis was considered the best to use. It is only harmful when it is open or broken. The only people that go into the infected room are people that are working on sterilizing the room.
Stafslien announced, “Once the room is sterilized it will be reopened.” While being under inspection everybody is notified and knows about the people who had been in the room as this happened.
If you get asbestosis fibers in your lungs and it affects your life then the school insurance will pay for your medical bills. Stafslien said, “If you are a smoker or have asthma we do not pay for the medical bill.”
If you’re exposed to asbestosis for a long time the fibers start to attach to your lungs and then it makes it harder for you to breath while you are running. Stafslien stated, “Once you have asbestosis fibers you cannot get rid of it.”
You can gave cheek ups later on in your life and the school insurance will still pay for that if they were responsible for it. Asbestosis is in cement, shingles on a roof, clothing, and a lot of things in your automotive part of your car.
Stafslien announced, “Parents might pull their students out of the school after all of this in fear of it happening again.” There are emergency responses for cases like asbestosis fibers. Asbestosis fibers are incredibly strong, and they are man made.
Sparta High School's Asbestos Issue (Fictional)
The students that did end up getting infected are put into a separate room and put into a quarantine for 24 hours. They're being put into a safe classroom that doesn't have an outbreak of this.
A lot of different places are filled with asbestos but people don't know that. It is not harmful until it is broke open. When things break that is when it will be fixed. They do not tear open the entire school and fix every room at once. It would be too expensive and not worth the time. So no matter what when something breaks open you must only fix that and fix things as it happens.
If you are one of the people that get infected and are occurred in this situation you have to stay for the entire 24 hours. It is a safety precaution that is put on by the school. If you are actually infected by these products the school does cover it and that is why the quarantine is in session. If you don't end up staying for the entire 24 hours and leave, you will not be covered if something ends up happening to you. No matter what the medical costs are you will always be covered by the schools insurance. But there is no cure for this infection. Even later on in life 30 years down the road and or longer you will still be able to get check ups if you're questioning this with the school still paying the bill. The only way the school does not cover this is when there is smoking involved or other physical conditions you may have such as asthma. Smoking does increase the effect of it and by doing so you will not be covered.
How it ends up affecting you are by the fibers going into the air, then going into your body. While you're breathing in the chemicals they attach to your lungs and stay there. The bad thing about this is that you can not get any help for this and it is a life long issue. You can not get any lung cancer from asbestos but your lungs do go under failure after time.
If you are a parent that is concerned about this you can take your child out of the school system. However, asbestos is all over the place and could possibly be in your home because it is a heat insulator. So because of this little outbreak there is really no need to take your child out of the school because they are fixing this problem and everything will more then likely be fine after it is all fixed.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
A Look Back on 2009
In 2009 there was happiness and sadness, but no matter what several peoples will miss 2009. “It was a good year” said Kristin Barclay.
The good times were filled with joy and accompanied by friends and family. “The best part was my son being born” said Ed Flasch. Larry Noll said “My family was healthy.”
There were also bad times. Noll said “I had the swine flu for a couple of days.” Conrad Olson said “I was in a major truck accident.”
Even though 2009 was a good year it had to end. Barclay said “I’m looking forward to graduating.”
In the end it is always the people that been with us throughout the year. Olson said “My dad.” Noll said “My wife and two daughters.” Barclay said “My friends from science camp.” And Flasch said “My children.” It is easy to forget the things that have happened in the past, but the people you meet on the journey are unforgettable.
The good times were filled with joy and accompanied by friends and family. “The best part was my son being born” said Ed Flasch. Larry Noll said “My family was healthy.”
There were also bad times. Noll said “I had the swine flu for a couple of days.” Conrad Olson said “I was in a major truck accident.”
Even though 2009 was a good year it had to end. Barclay said “I’m looking forward to graduating.”
In the end it is always the people that been with us throughout the year. Olson said “My dad.” Noll said “My wife and two daughters.” Barclay said “My friends from science camp.” And Flasch said “My children.” It is easy to forget the things that have happened in the past, but the people you meet on the journey are unforgettable.
Monday, January 18, 2010
School decisions
Making the best decision concerning your education is very important. Lindsy Wagner, a sophomore at Sparta high school, stated," If I had the choice to go to school I would still go." Wagner said she would go because of the education and talking to her friends.
Wagner feels that about 50% of the school population would still go to school if they were given the choice to. Wagner stated that, " If people choose not to go to school I still think they could get a good job." Wagner announced, "Going to school would be a good decision because you get a good education."
Danica Schwartzel , a junior at Sparta high school stated, " I would still go to school if I had the choice because I need the education." Schwartzel said," I think 25% of the student population would stay in school if they had the choice."
Schwartzel feels that even if she didn't go to school she thinks she could still get a good job." However Schwartzel stated," It would be a good idea to go to school because it helps you get into college."
Dana Geier a junior at Sparta high school said, " If I was given the choice to go to school I would go because being educated would help me get a better job." Geier stated, " If you don't go to school I don't see how you can get a good job." Geier thinks that about 75% of the school population would go if they had the choice. Geier announced, " Going to school would be a good thing for students to do because thats how you learn."
Mariah Kelley, a freshman at Sparta high school, said she would still go to school if she had the choice. Kelley stated that, " I would go to school to talk and hang out with my friends." Kelley also said, " I don't think you could get a good job if you don't go to school." Kelley feels that about 75% of the student population would still go to school if they had the choice. Kelley announced, " I think not going to school would be a bad decision because you need education in life and it helps get a job.
Courtney Johnson, a junior at Sparta high school, stated, " If I had the choice to go to school I would not go." Johnson said," Going to school and sitting in classes all day is not fun, I'd rather be out spending time with my friends." Johnson feels that about 30% of the student population would go to school if they had the choice.
Johnson stated, " I think you can still get a good job if you choose not to go to school." Johnson said, "Depending on your background it could either be a good decision or a bad one weather you go to school or not."
Casey Thurston, a sophomore at Sparta high school, stated, "If I had the choice to go to school I would still want to go." Thurston said, "It's good to go to school for getting an education and for socializing." Thurston thinks that about 83% of the school population would still go to school if they were given the choice to go or not go.
Thurston stated that, " I don't think you could get a good job without going to school because you wouldn't know how to do anything." Thurston feels because of that it would be a bad decision if you choose not to go to school because you wont get the education you need.
Kelsey Thurston, a junior at Sparta high school, announced , "If I had the choice to go to school I would go because it helps you learn." Thurston thinks that about 50% of the school population would go to school if they were given the choice. Thurston stated, "I don't think you could get a good job if you did not go to school." Thurston also said, "It would be a bad decision if you choose not to go to school because you wouldn't have as many job opportunities."
Tomie Richard, a junior at Sparta high school, said, " Learning new things is very important therefore I would still go to school if I had the choice." Richard stated, " I don't think you could get a good paying job if you don't get an education." Richard also announced, " It would be a bad decision if you didn't go because you would not have as many possibilities in life." Richard thinks about 50% of the students would still choose to go to school if they had the choice.
Zack Wakeen, a Senior at Sparta high school, said, " I would go to school if I had the choice because i want to do well in my life." Wakeen thinks it would be a bad decision if you choose not to go to school because you won't be getting the education you need. Wakeen stated, " You might be able to get a good paying job if you don't go to school but you can never really know for sure." Wakeen thinks that about 60% of the school population would still go to school if they had the choice.
Wagner feels that about 50% of the school population would still go to school if they were given the choice to. Wagner stated that, " If people choose not to go to school I still think they could get a good job." Wagner announced, "Going to school would be a good decision because you get a good education."
Danica Schwartzel , a junior at Sparta high school stated, " I would still go to school if I had the choice because I need the education." Schwartzel said," I think 25% of the student population would stay in school if they had the choice."
Schwartzel feels that even if she didn't go to school she thinks she could still get a good job." However Schwartzel stated," It would be a good idea to go to school because it helps you get into college."
Dana Geier a junior at Sparta high school said, " If I was given the choice to go to school I would go because being educated would help me get a better job." Geier stated, " If you don't go to school I don't see how you can get a good job." Geier thinks that about 75% of the school population would go if they had the choice. Geier announced, " Going to school would be a good thing for students to do because thats how you learn."
Mariah Kelley, a freshman at Sparta high school, said she would still go to school if she had the choice. Kelley stated that, " I would go to school to talk and hang out with my friends." Kelley also said, " I don't think you could get a good job if you don't go to school." Kelley feels that about 75% of the student population would still go to school if they had the choice. Kelley announced, " I think not going to school would be a bad decision because you need education in life and it helps get a job.
Courtney Johnson, a junior at Sparta high school, stated, " If I had the choice to go to school I would not go." Johnson said," Going to school and sitting in classes all day is not fun, I'd rather be out spending time with my friends." Johnson feels that about 30% of the student population would go to school if they had the choice.
Johnson stated, " I think you can still get a good job if you choose not to go to school." Johnson said, "Depending on your background it could either be a good decision or a bad one weather you go to school or not."
Casey Thurston, a sophomore at Sparta high school, stated, "If I had the choice to go to school I would still want to go." Thurston said, "It's good to go to school for getting an education and for socializing." Thurston thinks that about 83% of the school population would still go to school if they were given the choice to go or not go.
Thurston stated that, " I don't think you could get a good job without going to school because you wouldn't know how to do anything." Thurston feels because of that it would be a bad decision if you choose not to go to school because you wont get the education you need.
Kelsey Thurston, a junior at Sparta high school, announced , "If I had the choice to go to school I would go because it helps you learn." Thurston thinks that about 50% of the school population would go to school if they were given the choice. Thurston stated, "I don't think you could get a good job if you did not go to school." Thurston also said, "It would be a bad decision if you choose not to go to school because you wouldn't have as many job opportunities."
Tomie Richard, a junior at Sparta high school, said, " Learning new things is very important therefore I would still go to school if I had the choice." Richard stated, " I don't think you could get a good paying job if you don't get an education." Richard also announced, " It would be a bad decision if you didn't go because you would not have as many possibilities in life." Richard thinks about 50% of the students would still choose to go to school if they had the choice.
Zack Wakeen, a Senior at Sparta high school, said, " I would go to school if I had the choice because i want to do well in my life." Wakeen thinks it would be a bad decision if you choose not to go to school because you won't be getting the education you need. Wakeen stated, " You might be able to get a good paying job if you don't go to school but you can never really know for sure." Wakeen thinks that about 60% of the school population would still go to school if they had the choice.
Terrorist Attacks
http://www.vimeo.com/8768149 Please follow this link to hear the Terrorist Attacks article.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
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