By JAMES BELL
Hays Post

In a letter sent Monday, parents of students at Hays Middle School were notified that students in a seventh-grade science classroom were exposed to mercury.

According to the letter, “students in a seventh-grade science classroom were exposed to very low levels of mercury for a short period of time.”

The letter indicated administrators were notified at 2 p.m. Monday of the incident that occurred on Friday, Nov. 13, and the room was closed to students and staff. It was then further scanned and cleaned by two members of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.

“The ventilation is going tonight. They will do their tests in the morning and make sure everything is clear,” Dean Katt superintendent of Hays USD 489, told school board members Monday night.

The contamination was a “very low level, very small amount,” Katt said.

If the room is found to still have any contamination, further action will be taken and parents and students will be notified.