Mold found in Fair Grove school

July 21, 2007

News-Leader.com - Springfield,MO*

Donna Baxter

For the News-Leader

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Fair Grove — During the routine yearly air-quality inspection mold

was found in a historical wing of the Fair Grove school that was

originally part of the bond issue renovation project, said

Superintendent Link.

" We always have air quality checks before school starts because we

have several old buildings. To our surprise we found the mold in the

air quite high in that part of the building, so (the wing) was

pulled out of the project, " Link said.

The area will be closed off with a temporary wall of some sort, he

said.

Mold was especially high in the basement. The hall and classroom

area was to a point of concern, he continued.

The source of the mold is the area in the basement that contains a

sump pump and drain system.

Records that have been stored in the basement for over 25 years are

damp but not ruined. All will have to be cleaned.

Space affected are five classrooms and a teachers lounge, he said.

" We've already ordered two more mobile classrooms to take care of

four of the classes, " Link said. " We'll have to sacrifice other

areas like board room and a teachers' lounge to accommodate the

other two classes. "

Apparently, inspectors indicated that the problem would not get any

better, Link said, but there shouldn't be a problem as long as

people are kept out of the wing.

" The building is part of the heritage of Fair Grove schools, so

we'll be looking at all options and do some investigation as to the

possibility of making the area suitable for kids again and what the

cost would be, " Link said.

The building — built in the early 1900s --?was the only part of the

school that survived a fire in the mid-1950s.

" We understand the importance to our community of that wing, and

we'll do all we can to preserve it, " he said.

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