The Sedalia School District 200’s protocols for dealing with the release of asbestos particles took effect earlier this month after wax sealant wore off floor tiles in a classroom at Smith-Cotton Junior High.

The recent situation in a first-floor computer lab resulted in students at the junior high having an alternative methods of instruction day last Tuesday as results of an air test remained pending. Supt. Dr Todd Fraley says the district has maintained procedures for mitigating asbestos in their schools since a change in federal law during the 1980s.
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District crews, including those specially trained to deal with asbestos, went to work resealing floors across the junior high and applying additional layers in computer labs with rolling chairs. Fraley explains that annual resealing of the tile floors remains an effective way to deal with the situation.

Fraley says the district had to abate some asbestos as part of a recent renovation project at one of their elementary schools.

Classes at Smith-Cotton Junior High returned to normal Wednesday after the test results came back negative. Fraley is expected to provide an update to the board of education during their regular meeting Monday, Feb. 23. It’ll be the first meeting at their new start time of 6 p.m., in the Heckart Performing Arts Center at Smith-Cotton High School.