Mold is found in trailer housing kindergarten

October 22, 2007

Monday, October 22, 2007

The Jersey Journal - NJ.com - Jersey City,NJ*

By KEN THORBOURNE

JOURNAL STAFF WRITER

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Two trailers full of kindergarten students in Jersey City had to be

emptied last week after school officials confirmed the presence of

mold.

The mold was discovered in a corner of one of the 40-year-old

trailers, said School 16 Principal ph Marsella. But as a

precautionary measure, the class in the adjacent trailer was

relocated inside the Washington Street schoolhouse as well, Marsella

said.

Even though the tests - originally conducted Sept. 27, but not

returned to the district until Thursday morning - confirmed the

presence of mold, the concentration of mold spores isn't considered

harmful to people, according to environmental consultants hired by

the district, Marsella said.

In fact, the consultant - PMK Group of Cranford - found the

concentration of mold spores to be higher outside the trailer than

it was inside, Marsella said.

" We were told it's safe, " Marsella said Thursday. " We met with

parents this morning. We are sending letters home to all the parents

tonight. "

The roughly 42 students were relocated to the school's art and music

rooms, and could expect to return to their classrooms in about a

week, he said.

The area where mold was found will be replaced and washed with

bleach, he said.

The test was conducted in response to a complaint from a

teacher " who was having trouble with her throat, " Marsella said.

Told about the mold discovery, Cristina Weiner, who has a first-

grader and a sixth-grader at the elementary school, said, " I think

he (Marsella) will definitely handle it. We have high standards

here. "

Students at School 15 on Stegman Street were recently displaced for

more than a week when mold was discovered beneath a soaked gym

floor.

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