We are parents of children in First Colony Montessori School (FCMS).

Some of us received the email on 10/6/2014 that “Next week will be the start of major renovations to the inside and outside of the school” and “School hours will still remain as is- renovations will only take place at night once the school is closed, each day.” This is really shocking rather than exciting news for all of us. We are very worried about this short-notice of such a big school decision and all the related children’s health and safety problems that will occur due to this school renovation.

We are parents as well as specialists in our own fields. In our parents group we have medical scientists focusing on environmental health projects, oncologists studying childhood cancers, statisticians working on disease epidemiology, architectural professionals and environmental engineers specialized in remodeling/renovation issues.

Our major concerns are:

1. Children’s health is uniquely affected by the environment. Exposure in the air of chemicals/toxicants could be extremely harmful to small kids and can cause a lot of diseases. These diseases in short time frame could be shown as irritating to eyes, throat and nose, fatigue, frequent headaches, nausea, vomiting, frequent cough, skin rash, and in long term could include central nervous system problems, liver and kidney damage, childhood cancers (i.e. leukemia, lung cancer), asthma, severe allergy, etc.

2. There are hundreds of publications studying the diseases caused by room renovation. The consensus is some chemicals could exist and keep volatilizing for more than 3 years affecting human health for both children and adults.

3. Materials and additives used in renovation including paint/glue/sealer, etc. have multiple sources with known or potential hazards which won’t be possible to get screened individually to prove the short and long term safety.

4. Small kids would easily touch even consume the renovation materials which may cause immediate damage to the children’s health.

All the above concerns could be provided with professional references and publications.

We have carefully selected FCMS for our most precious children and have recommended FCMS to many of our friends, because here we have loving and caring directors and teachers with professionalism providing our children with wonderful learning environment. Most important of all, we trust FCMS care for our children just as we do. Based on all the points listed above, we strongly urge the school office to cancel this renovation project to protect our children as well as our teachers.

We all love FCMS, just as is.