What happens in the past doesn’t always stay in the past. Students and faculty were told the mysterious sewage smell in the school had been resolved, but after months of relief, it has started to creep back. Although not as intense as last year, the odor has once again become noticeable in parts of the building.
“On average, it’s less potent than last year, but there have been days when it’s just as strong,” science teacher Samantha Soltysiak said. “As soon as I notice, it sticks around the rest of the day and can be distracting for both students and teachers.”
While students and teachers are noticing the return of the odor, school officials say they are aware of the issue and have been monitoring it closely. John Schultz explained that although there have been a few reports this year, incidents have been less frequent and less severe than in the past, thanks to ongoing maintenance and temporary fixes.
“When it’s reported, we keep a list,” head principal Schultz said. “It’s substantially lower than we’ve had, and when we have had reports, we’ve been able to isolate the reason for it much faster this year and come to a resolution much faster.”
Despite temporary fixes such as checking HVAC systems, refilling drain traps, and using roof-mounted solutions, the permanent fix is more complicated than most would think.
“The permanent solution is out by the tennis courts, and some work still needs to be done to get it installed,” Schultz said. “It will require piping and other adjustments. While they were doing that, they had to remove the temporary solution on the roof to make sure the work they were doing was functioning properly. This led to the smell being able to be smelt again.”
Although school officials are continuing to work on a permanent fix, students and staff still notice the odor in certain parts of the building. It is often strongest in the science hallway, though it can spread to other areas of the school.
“I only ever smell it in mine, and then my colleagues, they will get whiffs of it, but they don’t have it as strong as it is in my room,” Soltysiak said. “Same thing with other areas in the building.”
Although the smell can be strong in certain classrooms and less noticeable in others, it continues to affect daily life for both teachers and students. Staff have learned to adapt, but the unpredictable odor still draws attention whenever it appears. Meanwhile, school officials stress that behind the scenes, work is underway to address the issue permanently.
“We’re continuing to work with engineers and the construction team to get the permanent fix in place,” Schultz said. “Until then, the temporary solutions are holding, and we’re confident we can keep the building comfortable for students and staff.”
