Toxic mold an odd blessing for S.J. school

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Toxic mold an odd blessing for S.J. school

Wing on Lodi campus needed revamp anyway; state pays $2.9M

Stockton Record - Stockton,CA

By Reid

Record Staff Writer

December 16, 2006 6:00 AM

http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?

AID=/20061216/A_NEWS/612160314

LODI - The presence of a toxic fungus at Lawrence Elementary School

has become a blessing in disguise for Principal Kurey and her

students.

Kurey said the Lodi school, built in the 1950s, needed renovations

anyway. So she was delighted this week to learn Lawrence Elementary

received $2.9 million in emergency state funding to rebuild its

black-mold-infested administrative wing, which also held six

kindergarten and first-grade classrooms.

The wing was evacuated in September, when district maintenance

officials found large patches of black mold within the school's

walls and under classroom carpets.

Maintenance crews quickly set up portable buildings to house

students at the school, borrowing some adjacent city-owned land that

backs up to the Grape Bowl.

" A new building is going to be really nice, " Kurey said. " The

administration office was small and the classrooms were kind of

outdated. It's going to be a good thing. You don't want mold, but

there's definitely good coming from it. "

Black mold is toxic and can cause cold-like symptoms such as

headaches, runny noses, watery eyes, coughing, sneezing and throat

irritation in people exposed to it. In others, it can trigger asthma.

Black mold grows naturally in buildings where wood, wallboard,

carpets or dirt are exposed to prolonged moisture.

" We didn't take any chances with the safety of students when we

found the mold, and we decided to be proactive early on, " said Art

Hand, the Lodi Unified School District's assistant superintendent of

facilities and planning. " The whole building will be demolished,

except for the studs and roof. We'll start over the winter break and

be finished in the summer. "

The school will have all new windows and make sure the building is

watertight to prevent mold from recurring, Hand said.

Students who were displaced into portable buildings in September

like the idea of having a bigger, better school to go to next year.

" I've never been in a brand-new school, " said first-grader Isaak

, 6, who also said he liked his new portable classroom better

than his old classroom because " it has a bigger (white) board, " he

said.

Construction at Lawrence won't be finished after the emergency

project is completed, however. Hand said a $6.5 million school

expansion will begin in the summer.

The expansion will include 10 classrooms, a library, and restrooms

for students and staff members. It is funded by Measure K, a $109

million bond measure approved by district voters in 2002.

If the emergency project incurs cost overruns, Hand said the

district may be eligible for more state money to pay for it. If not,

it will be paid for through the district's coffers.

" I think $2.9 million is a generous allotment, and we'll be able to

complete the project within that budget, " Hand said.

Contact reporter Reid at (209) 367-7428 or kreid@...