Dear McKinley School, Parents and Staff:
At McKinley School, the well-being of students and staff is our top priority. For that reason, San Diego Unified School District has asked the City of San Diego to test the water at our school site.
Beginning Tuesday, April 4, the City of San Diego will initiate water testing for lead across the San Diego Unified School District. It’s anticipated that the water at all district schools, including charter schools on district property, will be tested for lead by the end of the traditional school year in June.
The safety and health of students and staff across San Diego Unified is the highest priority for the district. Therefore, the city will be using a geographic approach that provides the most efficient testing. Five schools will be tested daily, beginning at the southeast corner of the district where some of the oldest district schools are located. City staff will work their way north and west until all of the testing is done. The comprehensive effort will take multiple months to complete due to the relevant regulatory requirements.
Testing will occur in the early morning hours, before the school day begins. Up to five samples will be taken at each site. The sampling locations may include drinking fountains, cafeterias and food preparation areas. The city will analyze the water samples and notify the school district of the results.
If results indicate that there is lead above allowable levels, district staff will determine the source of contamination and take appropriate action on a case-by-case basis (e.g., turn off water, replace fixtures and/or make plumbing repairs).
I want to reiterate that, at this time, there is no indication of unsafe levels of lead in our school’s water system, and the district’s testing is being done out of an abundance of caution. I will continue to monitor these efforts and will provide timely updates to our community. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me directly.
For more information on the district’s plan and water testing results as they become available, please visit https://www.sandiegounified.org/watersampling.
Sincerely,
Deb Ganderton
Principal
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