Mold Returns to High School Choral Room

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Mold Returns to High School Choral Room

Westport News, Westport, CT*

By Luongo

09/07/2007

http://www.westport-news.com/ci_6826858

Superintendent of Schools Elliott Landon this week alerted members

of the Westport Board of Education (BOE) by e-mail to a mold

condition at Staples High School (SHS) that was remediated over the

Labor Day weekend by an area environmental cleaning and restoration

service.

In an e-mail to SHS parents regarding the matter, Landon said that

he planned to discuss the cause of the mold condition at a BOE

meeting on Monday. He said that the same problem was addressed last

year in the Choral Room.

" As you may know, we have had ongoing problems with the HVAC system

at Staples related to high humidity, " Landon told parents, and said

that he would make recommendations at the meeting for correcting the

problem at SHS and for air-quality testing in other classroom

buildings.

He said that school facilities director, , observed the

mold condition in the Choral Room, which is located in a newly

renovated area of the high school.

On Thursday, Aug. 30, according to the e-mail to parents, an

industrial hygienist, who was employed by the school system to

conduct an inspection at SHS, joined Landon, other school officials

and Jacozzi, director of the Westport Weston Health District,

for an inspection of the impacted area.

" Laboratory tests found a significant amount of mold on porous

binders holding the extensive collection of music sheets, " Landon

said, " but mold was not found on the sheet music or the acoustical

panels located in the Choral Room. "

He said that the binders were discarded and would be replaced by non-

porous binders and that the music sheets were cleaned and retained.

The school system has scheduled follow-up air testing this week in

the Choral Room.

Landon said that the auditorium and library, which also required

mold remediation last year, were also inspected.

" Testing is being performed in all three areas. Additional testing

has been ordered for the Guidance Suite, the Black Box Theatre and

the Pupil Services Office, based upon request by staff, " Landon said.

He said that a number of areas in the high school " have had serious

problems related to high humidity. "

" I expect that the hygienist will be able to identify the causes of

the high humidity and the reasons for the ongoing growth of mold at

Staples, and provide us with recommendations for elimination of

these problems, " Landon said.