Mass. School Closed Over Building Material Concern

MERRIMAC, Mass. — Dr. Frederick N. Sweetsir Elementary School temporarily shut down after construction workers discovered potentially hazardous material inside.

Asbestos was found during a renovation of windows as part of the state’s green improvements plan.

“The school was built in the early 1950s and we expected we’d find some asbestos — we just didn’t expect to find it there,” said Bob Sinibaldi, the town’s building inspector.

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Ceiling Collapses in Lido Beach During School Renovation

LIDO BEACH, N.Y. — A ceiling that recently collapsed during construction at Long Beach High School in Lido Beach, N.Y., raised questions about the safety of the school under renovations.

The carport overhang ceiling fell to the ground on Good Friday, while construction crews were trying to locate pipes in the ceiling. No one was hurt when the building collapsed, largely because students were on vacation.

The core building was not damaged, but the entire suspended stucco ceiling was removed due to safety concerns.

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Technology Allowing Students to Report Bullying

BOSTON — Bullying has bothered students for generations, but  a new device might help document and reduce it.

Boston-based education company Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH) recently launched a digital program that, on multiple platforms, will allow students to anonymously report concerns or incidents of bullying.

The reporting platform helps school districts and local government agencies manage each case consistently and fairly by using a sophisticated analytics and reporting engine, according to HMH.

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Complying With New Mandatory ADA Standards

ADA Compliance Dates — Source: 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design
Compliance Date for New Construction or Alterations Applicable Standards
Before 9/15/2010 1991 ADA Standards or Unifo

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