Those evacuations took place once on the mornings of Thursday, August 22 and Friday, August 23, when county officials stopped a kindergarten orientation with students in the building, and during a teacher orientation session, respectively, show emails obtained by Potomac Local.
“I am concerned that school staff continued to place teachers and students in harm’s way. People’s lives were being endangered by ignoring the life safety issues identified by the county building officials and county fire officials,” penned Prince William County Executive Christopher Martino in a letter to school officials. He went on to call the actions of the school division “egregious.”
County building inspector Eric Mays didn’t issue a full occupancy permit for the building until the afternoon of Friday, August 23. Mays was concerned that hangers used to fix water pipes for the fire sprinkler system could break loose under the weight of the water and pressure.
On the morning of the kindergarten orientation, county and school building officials met to discuss the fire sprinkler system.
“When it became apparent during the meeting, near 10 a.m., that the [temporary occupancy permit[ would not be issued immediately, [Prince William County Public Schools] called from the meeting and canceled the orientation…” states a letter from the school division.
A back to school event that had been scheduled later that evening was also canceled.
The school division says the incident was a misunderstanding between its facilities maintenance employees and the fire marshal’s office. It was issued a “shelf-stocking” permit on August 15 that allowed teachers to go inside the building to start setting up their classrooms.
The letter goes onto to state the fire sprinkler system had been inspected by the fire marshal and was working at that time.
“We disagree with the assertion that prior to August 22, [the school division] was informed that [a temporary occupancy permit] could not be issued for the kindergarten orientation or back to school event… the [school division] believed in good faith that a [temporary occupancy permit] could be issued before the 10 a.m. scheduled orientation…,” the letter states.
Prince William Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Steven Walts says the safety and security is the school division’s highest priority.
The county fire marshal’s office is reviewing the matter and could press charges against the school division.
Recent Stories
Commemorating Earth Day from Prince William Forest Park today, President Biden announced a series of wide-reaching climate initiatives designed to expand nationwide access to solar energy and create a federal jobs program known as the American Climate Corps.
In a letter addressed to the Chair and the Supervisors of Prince William County, Commonwealth’s Attorney Amy Ashworth outlined her intention to withhold prosecution of certain misdemeanor charges, effective May 1, 2024, if she doesn’t get her money.
At a presentation hosted by the Prince William County Committee of 100, the community gathered to explore the potential utilization of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) as a viable energy source for the Northern Virginia region.
Prince William fire and rescue units responded to a residential fire on Merrily Way on April 22, and a fire at Loch Lomond Elementary School on April 20, 2024.
To celebrate Air Quality Awareness Week (May 6-10, 2024), Clean Air Partners is working with A Few Cool Hardware Stores to exchange DC, Maryland and Virginia residents’ gas-powered lawnmowers, trimmers, and leaf blowers at select Ace Hardware locations in the region. DMV residents who turn in their gas-powered lawn tools will receive a FREE Ego Power+ replacement including batteries and chargers, while supplies last.
Compared to gas, electric lawn equipment can reduce emissions, noise pollution, health risks and maintenance costs and time. The program aims to remove about a hundred gas-powered polluting tools from yards in the greater Baltimore-Washington region.
The exchanges will take place the weekends of May 17-19, 2024, and May 31-June 2, 2024, at A Few Cool Hardware Stores network of employee-owned Ace Hardware stores in the DC and Baltimore metro areas. To participate and get your free Ego Power+ lawn tool, sign up at https://qrco.de/CAPExchange to reserve your tool and select your trade-in date and location.
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Free Irish Music Concert
Welcoming Spring with music from the Emerald Isle, the New Dominion Choraliers offer a FREE concert on Saturday, April 27 at 7:30 p.m. at the First United Presbyterian Church of Dale City.
Joined by Legacy Brass and members of Old
Spring Ceili: An Irish Music Festival
The New Dominion Choraliers of Prince William County and McGrath Morgan Academy of Irish Dance invite you to join them at our Ceili, a grand celebration of Irish music and dance.
A gathering of performance groups throughout Prince William County
