Mold forces carpet removal
Source of excess moisture undetermined
Wednesday, February 1, 2006
BIGGSVILLE - West Central School District is taking steps to improve air quality after recent tests found a moderate level of mold spores in a second-grade classroom.Superintendent Ralph Grimm told parents in a letter Monday the district conducted the air sampling tests two weeks ago in several elementary classrooms because of concerns about air quality.
Grimm said the district learned Friday that "moderate levels of mold spores were present in the air" in Carolyn Thomas' second-grade classroom. Grimm said school officials conducted a visual inspection of the room but were unable to detect any mold on the walls, ceiling, carpet or other surfaces.
Air quality tests were performed in four other elementary classrooms, but the results of those samples did not indicate any air quality issues.
To be on the safe side, the school will be removing all the carpeting from the elementary school.
Grimm said no source of moisture was found in the second-grade classroom.
School employees worked late Monday night scraping the carpet from the floor. The floor was then cleaned and the room ventilated.
"We will be doing all of this under the direction of our district's architect as well as an air quality specialist from a firm in the Quad Cities," Grimm said in the letter.
The carpeting will be removed from Jenny Ford's third-grade classroom this week. Grimm said the air in that room was tested and no mold was found.
"We are doing this not because of concern over an air sampling test result but rather it (was) reported to us that that room is generally moist and has a particular odor to it," Grimm said. "We are also looking at the ventilation system in that room to determine whether or not there are any possible sources of moisture that need to be addressed."
Grimm said District 235 is taking the mold problem at the school seriously. He said the district has chosen to be proactive and aggressive in dealing with the problem. He added the district will take the necessary steps to improve the heating and ventilation system to make sure the school has proper air quality in each room every as well as make sure of the proper exchange between inside and outside air in the school.
In an unrelated matter, Grimm said the district is installing a second wastewater holding tank at the North Campus to reduce the offensive odor coming from the wastewater treatment system. Grimm said by adding the second tank, the district will be able to operate the system at night when no one is around.
"By doing this, we hope to eliminate the offensive odor that comes from that facility on a frequent basis at times when our students, staff and the community members are present," he said.
