Active Mold Growth Confirmed in Middle’s Elementary No. 2

COURT HOUSE — The presence of active mold growth in Elementary School No. 2 has been confirmed by the Middle Township School District. Inspection by two air quality companies indicated the presence of fungal growth.
In a previous Herald story, School Superintendent Michael Kopakowski stated the school district’s Supervisor of Buildings and Grounds along with district HVAC workers, inspected areas in the school. “It did not indicate to them that it was mold,” he said.
In a letter to parents sent home with students in third, fourth and fifth grades Thur., April 5, active fungal growth was found in “certain areas of the school.”
According to Kopakowski, 40 classrooms are slated to be cleaned over the spring break, which begins Fri., April 6 and continued until April 16. Not included in the cleanup are common areas where students and staff congregate.
“The main office, the gym, the cafeteria and the media center (library) do not have it,” Kopakowski told the Herald. “We’re looking from that area back.”
Excluded too, are several classrooms that are located behind the media center. Those rooms were found to test negative and are not part of the cleanup.
Kopakowski said the cleanup will focus on HVAC ductwork, the roof deck and other structural ceiling components.
Parents who contacted the Herald in late March had noted black stains on the school’s ceilings. They also shared photographs of what appears to be mold growing in paper towel holders along with vents. Kopakowski said pictures shared with this newspaper were probably indicative of the worst mold problem in the school. In other rooms, he said, it is just the HVAC ductwork affected and structural steel, with other rooms having a lesser problem with just the ductwork affected.
As part of the cleanup workers will clean vents, but not the actual ductwork, said Kopakowski. “That’s just not being recommended at this time.”
According to ALS Environmental, the company brought in to conduct samples, “All of the air samples taken were fine,” Kopakowski said. “We don’t have any airborne mold.”
When asked the cost of the cleanup, Kopakowski was not sure until the actual cleanup was done. The cost to taxpayers of cleaning the mold problem in Elementary No. 1 was almost $117,000.
“Our plan is not to spend that kind of money,” said Kopakowski of the clean up in Elementary No. 2. “At No. 2 it’s sealing up. They’re not seeing anything like mold growing on desks and closets. For those rooms that the company considers to be the worst shape, they will get a similar cleaning probably to what No. 1 did.”
Remediation of Elementary No. 2 is scheduled to begin April 6 and has an anticipated completion date of Fri. April 13. “They’ve given themselves two additional days, Saturday and Sunday, just in case it takes longer.”
The district has contracted with INX, an Exton, Pa.-based company to perform the remediation. ALS Environmental of Harrisburg, Pa. will perform the post-remediation testing. Kopakowski said ALS will be in the building to perform testing during the remediation process.
According to Kopakowski, the initial report from ALS stating the current levels of mold in No. 2 have not been received. In an interview with this newspaper on March 23, Kopakowski said he expected to have the formal testing results of Elementary No. 2 by March 30.
Initial reports from the company called in by the district when mold growth was discovered in Elementary No. 1 caused a contentious showdown between school administration, parents and the media when school officials would not release the reports.
Mold was discovered in that building on Dec. 13, 2011 and a report of what was found was not made available until Jan. 18. A copy of that report can be seen at www.capemaycountyherald.com/files/media/MicrobialAssessment12-19-2011.PDF
“I want it fixed,” said the parent of a student at Elementary No. 2. “I want it cleaned up. Our children should be safe and not getting sick by going to school. How can you learn when you are coughing?”
Parents with concerns about the mold issue can contact the district. According to Kopakowski, personnel will be available in the district office during spring break to answer questions.