Stoughton High School Mold remediated

October 4, 2002

Friday, October 4, 2002

Mold remediated; SHS wing to reopen

Terry Hagerty

Courier Hub Reporter

STOUGHTON --After five weeks of cleanup and an expected pricetag of

$115,000, Stoughton High School students are slated to return Monday to the

school's science wing after the discovery of mold forced their evacuation.

" We're putting the kids in Monday, and the furniture this weekend, " said

Dennis Barkenhagen, the district's supervisor of buildings and grounds.

Students returned last week to the two social studies classrooms, a separate

section of the high school where mold was also discovered.

However, some classes were still being held this week in larger hallway

sections of the school, awaiting the opening of the science wing.

Mold discovered just before the Sept. 3 start of the school year forced the

closure of the science wing (containing eight classrooms) and the two social

studies classrooms.

Laboratory testing identified three different types of mold. None are

considered severe health threats, although one of them - a form of the

aspergillus mold - can induce allergies in some people, according to health

experts.

However, several air samples taken right after the discovery and during

cleanup procedures showed the percent of mold spores in the air had remained

well within federal safety guidelines, Barkenhagen said.

The total removal/restoration project is expected to total about $115,000,

(about $50,000 for removal, $62,000 for restoration, and $3,000 in

architectural fees), Barkenhagen said Tuesday.

Most of the cleanup work entailed removing the lower portions of wall

sheetrock which had retained moisture and then developed mold.

The cutout sections were replaced with a concrete-type material which

virtually eliminates the chance of moisture being retained along a wall at

ground level, Barkenhagen explained.

One science classroom had all of its sheetrock removed, because mold was

found closer to ceiling level, Barkenhagen said.

Although the exact cause of the mold problem has not yet been determined,

Barkenhagen said it could have developed from several sources, including

chemical floor- drains which backed up and/or moisture left over from either

classroom use or custodial work.

Barkenhagen said it would be up to the Stoughton Board of Education whether

to pursue a more costly study to pinpoint causes.

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