FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MEDIA CONTACT: Patrick Mayer, Glide School District Superintendent

PHONE: 541-496-3521
EMAIL: pmayer@glide.k12.or.us

Glide School District responds to lead inspection

Oct. 11, 2022 - The Archie Creek Fire in the Fall of 2020 caused substantial damage to homes
and other structures in the Glide community. The Federal Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA) became involved and made resources available to Glide residents. Glide Revitalization,
a local non-profit organization, took on the task of distributing FEMA resources to Glide
residents. Glide Revitalization needed a space to coordinate the distribution of FEMA resources
and approached the Glide School District about leasing the district’s old middle school building,
which was not being used for instruction at that time. The district agreed and entered into a
lease with Glide Revitalization. In exchange for use of the building, Glide Revitalization agreed
to work on updating the old middle school building.

The task of distributing FEMA funds has now come to an end, but Glide Revitalization has
sought to develop a new use for the old middle school building—a childcare center. Earlier this
year, the district learned that Glide Revitalization was contemplating using the old middle school
building for a preschool program. Due to the age of the building, the district was concerned
about the safety of the building for children, so the district paid to have the building inspected
and lead testing done. In early September, the district received the results back from that
inspection and the tests showed unacceptable levels of lead in some of the collected paint
samples. The inspection report also described evidence indicating that lead paint likely had
been disturbed during renovation activities, which presented a potential concern for lead
exposure from lead paint dust. The district has notified Glide Revitalization about the district’s
concerns. Glide Revitalization and Glide School District are not involved in litigation. However,
the district continues to have serious concerns about the presence of lead-based paint in the
building and the building’s proposed use as a childcare center. The health and safety of Glide
students and children is the highest priority of the Glide School District and the Glide Board of
Directors. The district is currently contemplating its options. In the meantime, the district wants
to assure Glide residents that it will not allow children in the old middle school building until it is
safe to do so and, will address any emergent legal issues as necessary.