Inuvik (May 17/04) - Students were to be back at Samuel Hearne secondary school today.

Late Friday, the Workers Compensation Board in Inuvik removed the warning sign forbidding entry to the school after an awaited structural engineer's report came back giving the OK.

"We'll be going back to school Monday morning with all the kids," Peter Hough, the school's principal, said Friday.

"We're glad to hear it."

Brian Lemax, superintendent for Public Works and Services in Inuvik, said asbestos level readings came back within the acceptable level and the fire evacuation procedures were to be worked out with the assistant fire marshal over the weekend.

"The classroom section is now available for students. The structural engineer's certificate said the building can now be safely occupied," he said.

However, before Friday's announcement, parents of Samuel Hearne secondary school students were seeking answers during a public meeting Thursday after the May 5 collapse of the foyer left students without adequate learning facilities.

Asbestos concerns

About 100 parents, along with teachers and other concerned citizens, listened as officials explained the status of both the building and the availability of alternate classroom space.

Questions centred around the possibility of disturbed asbestos as well as when normal class schedules would resume.

Present to answer questions along with Hough and Lemax were Bill Wong, WCB safety officer from Inuvik; Chris Beveridge, environmental health officer; Ted McLeod, senior projects officer for the Public Works department; and Claude Gervais, assistant fire marshal.

Muriel Klengenberg, a parent, said she left the meeting -- which she felt was long overdue -- not happy with the response from officials.

"No one was taking sole responsibility for what had happened."

After the meeting, several parents said that those who should have been present to answer their questions were not.

"I want to see the engineer who writes the report there," she said. "It's not an ordinary situation here. When a catastrophic event such as this happens, we should have the answers from those who know," Mary Beckett said, adding that, as a result, those present were left having to answer for those who were not.

Beckett, the former head of the Inuvik District Education Authority, said she still has major concerns about the structural safety of the remaining buildings.

"Before they ask these parents to send their children back into this school, they should have a properly advertised meeting to answer all our questions," she said of the last minute meeting, which left the Minister of Education or Inuvik MLAs, among others, unable to attend.

Health concerns surrounding the presence of asbestos in the school also had many parents questioning the risks of letting their children return to the building.

Wong told the parents that any building built before 1974 would contain asbestos, but the important factor is whether or not the asbestos is disturbed.

"If it is not open or inaccessible, then it is not a hazard," he said.

Lemax said before students returned to school there were four factors to consider.

The first was air quality monitoring.

"Air samples were taken as well as material samples are at the lab (as of Friday). Those must be returned," Lemax said.

Secondly, fire evacuation procedures were to be in place for the building, he said.

"Until a fire alarm system is set up, there will have to be a sentry or signalling device in place," he said.

The third factor was the return of the structural engineer's report, which now has deemed the building safe.

The fourth factor lies with the environmental health officer, who has been asked to check the water quality to ensure no bacteria has built up in the system.

Class disruption

Parents were also concerned about the disruption of classes so close to the end of the school year.

Hough said it would be possible to make up for lost time.

"If you send your kids every day, we will catch up," he added, noting that currently, and prior to the event, attendance is at a very low level.

Lemax said now that the report is back, between now and next winter, procedures will be reviewed and amended where necessary.

"We will look at structures where snow accumulates and will ensure a close eye is kept on the accumulation. We will set a practice for removal," Lemax said Friday.