I am a parent at Staunton Montessori School. I felt compelled to reach out after reading your recent article, as the perspective being presented appears to be an outlier and does not reflect the experience of many families, including my own.
I strongly disagree with both its conclusions and its portrayal of the school’s leadership.
ICYMI
- Parent alleges that Staunton Montessori School covered up mold issue
- Husband of Staunton Montessori School staffer on mold story: ‘You are absolute trash’
Parents absolutely have the right to ask questions and advocate for their children. That said, the implication that current leadership or the Board knowingly endangered children, acted dishonestly, or “didn’t care” does not align with my experience.
Leanne has consistently invited parents to bring concerns directly to her. I have met with her multiple times, and in my experience, transparency has not been an issue. Information was shared with the community, along with repeated invitations for direct conversations and open meetings. I attended one of these meetings myself.
Firstly, I want to clarify that from my understanding, this issue involved a roof leak affecting only a small part of the classroom, (a closet I believe) not a full classroom flood.
Regardless, I have personally observed leadership take this situation seriously over time. It was not ignored.
Over many months, the school:
- continuously ran air purifiers
- increased ventilation whenever possible
- monitored conditions
- consulted outside experts and legal counsel
- reviewed EPA guidance
- communicated with concerned parents individually and broadly
- repeatedly pushed the landlord to inspect, test, and address the issue
- and reached out to multiple relevant authorities, including Augusta County Building Inspection, the State Fire Marshal’s office, the Virginia Department of Health, and others
To my knowledge, these consultations did not identify any immediate danger requiring closure or emergency intervention. As a dedicated parent, I also spoke personally with the Fire Marshal in January. He inspected the building and indicated back to me that there were no concerns, from a fire code standpoint, requiring action.
From my perspective, this reflects an effort to responsibly navigate a difficult and evolving situation – not a cover up.
It is also important to note that the school does not own the building.
Most tenants do not have the authority to have someone independently come in, open walls, remove ceiling materials, or authorize invasive mold testing or remediation against the landlord’s wishes.
My understanding is that their ability to authorize invasive testing or structural work was limited and/or slowed by the landlord.
Despite those constraints, and investigations indicating no immediate danger to students, leadership made the significant decision to relocate the school, an undertaking that reflects long-term concern for the community.
In my experience, current leadership has operated with integrity, professionalism, and genuine care for students and families. I strongly disagree with attempts to frame this situation as one in which leadership knowingly harmed children or deceived families.
Regarding the decision to close the investigation, it seems possible (just my assumption) that leadership chose to focus efforts on transitioning the school into a more stable environment rather than continuing to navigate limitations in a building they do not control.
As far as reporting, when one perspective, particularly one involving serious allegations, is presented in much greater detail, it can create a misleading impression of what may be a far more nuanced situation within the community.
I stand firmly behind the current leadership and Board of Trustees and am grateful for the care and effort they have shown throughout a difficult situation.
I appreciate your time and consideration of additional perspectives from within the SMS community.
Letter from Jessica Siple
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