CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Environmental cleanup crews are back at work at Charleston’s Capital High School. Mold abatement work has been underway for several weeks after it was discovered late in the summer, but testing this week revealed still unacceptably high levels of particulates in the air of more than a dozen classrooms.
“There were 15 to 20 rooms which came back unsatisfactory with still some high levels in there,” said Kanawha County Superintendent Ron Duerring. “The company is back in there and will be working all day today and Friday and will test it again on Saturday.”
The county schools started the new school year back on Monday, however Capital students still haven’t been to their first class. Duerring isn’t even sure if they’ll be able to return Monday.
“I don’t know if we can even say that at this point,” Duerring told 580-WCHS Radio. “We’re just going to have to see how things go and get the samples to the lab and see if we can get the tests back fast enough.”
The delays are frustrating to all involved, especially Duerring who knows students need to be in the classroom. He says however, teachers at the school have taken proactive steps in communicating with students and posting assignments on the school issued iPads.
“I can assure you that’s a highly professional staff up there and when those kids come back, they’ll make sure they get every skill they need,” he said.
Although the mold at Capital High has been the most high profile situation, a recent report revealed there was mold to varying extents in at least ten other Kanawha County Schools. The Superintendent said steps have been taken to try and stop the growth with the removal of items within the school which promote mold growth and dehumidifiers have been placed in rooms with more on the way. An upcoming school levy includes money to purchase new HVAC systems for Capital and other schools. The wet and humid summer has also contributed according to Duerring.
“We always have to bring fresh air from the outside into the ventilation systems, that way we’ll have ‘healthy air,'” explained Duerring. “At the same time, it’s been such a rainy summer, there’s just a lot of dampness out there.”