Mold returning at Lafayette High School, but not like old days

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October 26, 2002

Mold returning at Lafayette, but not like old days

By Centolanza

The Virginia Gazette

JAMES CITY -- Mold that turned portions of Lafayette High into a life-size

Petrie dish in 1990 is mostly gone, but the memories and effects of the

problem still linger.

As school officials prepare to take their case for a third high to the

county supervisors, it's worth noting that the problems at Lafayette High

went beyond overcrowding.

Speaking on a condition of anonymity, a former teacher said this week that

she still suffers from upper respiratory problems brought on by the mold.

" It was a nightmare, " she said of her time at Lafayette during the mold

infestation. " The mold was an inch to an inch-and-a-half thick and every

color you could imagine. Several students dropped out of school because it

was so severe. "

The problems began in 1990 after the roof had " passed its usable life " and

began leaking, said WJC Building Services director Joe Grebb in a recent

interview.

" We had huge leaks, " Grebb recalled. " We were getting them everywhere. You

would come in on any rainy day, and there would be as many as 35 to 40 pails

collecting water. "

The carpet became so saturated that drying it was virtually impossible. No

windows and little lighting, common among '70s school designs, " encouraged

mold and mildew to grow, " Grebb said.

To make matters worse, air conditioning malfunctioned, trapping the humidity

inside the building. Soon, " There was mold on walls and on bookshelves, "

Grebb said. " It was literally everywhere. "

Elise Emanuel, a retired Lafayette guidance counselor who served as

president of WJC's Education Association at the time, said numerous teachers

came to her with complaints.

" It was very overwhelming, " Emanuel said. " A lot of them had a reaction to

the mold. One teacher actually left because she couldn't stand the building.

It was really bad. "

Students also complained of breathing problems, hoarseness, burning eyes and

headaches.

" Some of them were complaining that they didn't feel well at the end of the

day because of the moldy conditions, " Grebb said.

The intense mold led some students to request transfers to other schools. So

many people took ill that the School Board finally had to replace the roof

and pull out the carpeting.

" We literally cleaned it from top to bottom " to wipe out the mold, Grebb

said. " It was quite a task. "

Today, Grebb admitted that mold has returned to some areas of the building,

though to a lesser degree.

" We have not had an experience of any significant mold. It has been nothing

compared to what it used to be. Not even close. "

The experience has also helped custodial staff keep up with the heating and

air conditioning systems.

" We are very, very careful about our maintenance schedule, " Grebb said. " We

are constantly making sure that the filters are being changed on time, and

that everything is working properly. "