Dear Staley High School families:

The Missouri state legislature recently passed the “Get the Lead Out of School Drinking Water Act,” a new law to ensure safe drinking water in all schools throughout the state. North Kansas City Schools is deeply committed to the safety and well-being of all students, staff and our entire community. To ensure safe drinking water in all North Kansas City Schools buildings, the district conducted extensive water testing this spring in alignment with state statute.

All water sources used for drinking and/or food preparation (cooking or cleaning) were tested by a professional environmental consulting firm. Testing sought to identify any water sources in our facilities at or above the new five (5) parts per billion (ppb) (5 micrograms per liter) standard. The 5 ppb level now required by the state is below the Environmental Protection Agency’s recommended action level of 15 ppb.

As part of our commitment to safety, NKC Schools also conducted tests of hundreds of additional water sources used for hand washing, cleaning or other non-drinking purposes, such as classroom sinks and outdoor hydrants. A public webpage available at nkcschools.org/water includes full results and reports for all testing performed. In total, more than 1,700 water sources were tested throughout the district.

We are sharing the results of water testing performed at Staley with staff, families and the community so all may be fully informed about the building’s water systems.

At Staley High School, 118 samples were tested. 113 samples met the new state standard. 2 samples were above the new action level of 5 ppb. 

Drinking/food preparation sources:

• Room FP103 Sink: 94.2 ppb
• Room FP103 East Wall Middle Sink: 10.3 ppb 

Other sources:

• Room FP118 Left Sink: 6.1 ppb 
• Room FP118 Right Sink: 5.8 ppb 
• Room FP117 Right Sink: 7.9 ppb 

Upon receipt of these testing results, the district is taking immediate action to restrict access to all sources identified as above the new standard.

• All identified drinking and food preparation sources will be fully turned off.
• Signage will be placed on all identified non-drinking sources.

Plans to remediate all sources above the action level are already underway. NKC Schools’ Operations Department is evaluating each source to develop the best possible long-term remediation plan. This could include removing or replacing equipment or inserting industry-standard filters certified for lead reduction. As required by statute and to ensure successful remediation, the district will retest all water sources once repaired.

While we work to address each identified water source, safety remains our top priority. All students and staff continue to have access to safe and clean water in each of our facilities. You can read more about test results and our plans for remediation at nkcschools.org/water. This webpage also includes information about the health effects of lead exposure.

Should you have questions about this report, please contact us at nkcschools.org/contact.

Sincerely,

Chad Evans, Ed.D.
Assistant Superintendent of Operations
North Kansas City Schools