School staff finds mold

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School staff finds mold

Bob Stuart

The News Virginian

Thursday, December 22, 2005

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A mold-laden chimney at Avenue Baptist Church, which is

scheduled to temporarily house Waynesboro's alternative high school.

(nne Weber/Staff)

Mold has been found inside a church that temporarily will house

Waynesboro Schools' alternative high school.

Contractors have worked this week to remove the mold from a wall

inside the Avenue Baptist Church, and the most recent spore

counts were considerably lower.

Hart, the director of Shenandoah operations for

Environmental Investigations of Staunton, said a spore count of

10,000, which she described " as a high level, " was detected two

weeks ago. A count of 500 is typical.

The most recent air samples taken at the church Monday night

registered a spore count of 100 to 200 inside and 500 outside.

Waynesboro Schools Superintendent Lowell Lemons said an

investigation was triggered after Phoenix Program employees

complained of a musty smell in the building last month.

The Phoenix Program students, in grades 10-12, have diverse

backgrounds. Some need to catch up on Standards of Learning

requirements, some have scheduling issues and some are placed there

because of discipline problems at Waynesboro High.

Hart said her employees initially had difficulty finding the mold's

source.

" It was not clear where the mold was coming from. The surfaces were

spotless,'' she said.

The mold later was pinpointed on a church cinderblock wall covered

with sheet rock. The wall since has been painted with a sealant and

covered with a chemical compound that kills mold.

It is impossible to determine how old the mold is, Hart said.

" It's been there for awhile,'' she said.

Hart anticipates follow-up testing to ensure the building remains

safe, and Lemons said he expects such monitoring.

" We follow the guidance of the consultant,'' he said. " She is

certified to deal with these problems. "

Danny , pastor of Wayne Hills Baptist Church, which owns the

building, said he did not know of any previous mold problems.

" We had no idea of mold. This is totally new to us,'' said.

Testing and removal costs will be $4,000 and come from the school

district's budget.

This expense is separate from the replacement of windows and doors,

and a heating-air conditioning upgrade at the church. The school

district has estimated the maximum cost of the renovations at

$30,000.

The students involved in the Phoenix and G.E.D. programs are

supposed to move in to Avenue Baptist Church on Jan. 3. The

building will be home for up to 18 months because of another

school's renovation. Students at Kate Middle School will

move to the Wayne Hills center, where the Phoenix Program normally

is based.

Lemons said about 35 students will be in the building at any given

time. There are 80 students in the two programs.

Lorie , chairwoman of the Waynesboro School Board, said, " We

have the responsibility to find these things out, to see what we

need to deal with. "

" We certainly would never look to put students or staff in harm's

way,'' said. " This work will benefit the long-term usage of

the facility for the church. "

Lemons, now in his 13th year as superintendent, said he does not

recall a problem with mold in any other school buildings.

Previously, he said asbestos abatement has been needed in buildings,

particularly with the removal of old floor tiles.

Despite the recent mold problem, he said the Avenue Baptist

Church is a good temporary location.

Contact Bob Stuart at bstuart@...