Health official: Mold, cleanliness an issue at school

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September 24, 2008

Health official: Mold, cleanliness an issue at school

ton Gazette - ton,WV*

By Davin White

Staff writer

http://wvgazette.com/News/200809230789?page=1 & build=cache

Last week, health inspectors found multiple roof leaks and a heavy

accumulation of dust throughout Middle, where school

officials found mold this summer.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. - Last week, health inspectors found multiple roof

leaks and a heavy accumulation of dust throughout

Middle School, where school officials found mold this summer.

Anita Ray, environmental health director for the Kanawha-ton

Health Department, said health inspector Bob visited the Cross

Lanes school Thursday and Friday.

" The problem is twofold. The inspector found that there were roof

leaks all throughout the building, " Ray said. " He also noticed a

heavy accumulation of dust. "

Much of the dust gathered around windows and doors, Ray said.

" It may be circulating any mold spores that are in there because it

needs cleaned, " she said.

Ray said that according to , Kanawha schools maintenance

director Terry Hollandsworth was not pleased with a recent roofing

job at . She understood the roof repairs would be

completed as soon as possible.

" I just wanted to make sure we put some additional roof cranes up

there, " Hollandsworth said. " Just want to make sure we get all the

water off the roof. "

He expects that work to be completed soon.

" I wasn't upset with it ... I just wanted to make sure we got that

done, " he said.

The county bid the roofing work at out to private

contractors, according to Hollandsworth.

Kanawha County school officials replaced ceiling tile and air

filters throughout the school after they discovered mold in July.

Pinnacle Environmental Consultants Inc. conducted a limited indoor

air quality sampling of the school Aug. 22

Crews used air scrubbers to capture dust, dirt, and other air

particles. Kanawha school officials said in a news release Monday

that a second series of test results confirmed the cleanup was

successful and mold levels were deemed below normal Sept. 2.

Crews checked the air at a second time Sept. 18.

Hollandsworth was going over the results of that test late Tuesday

afternoon, but said during an interview that he needed time before

he commented on the results and still needed to break them down for

Superintendent Ron Duerring.

" I can't talk to you and work on this at the same time, " he told a

reporter.

Duerring said the mold had been discovered in and around the

principal's office and other administrative offices.

Principal Woo did not immediately return a phone call seeking

comment.

School officials said they will continuously monitor mold and mildew

levels at .

Sometime " in the near future, " all ceiling tiles will be replaced

and the entire school will be cleaned, according to the news release.

Duerring said is now the county's only school with a

mold problem.

" It's the only school we've had any issues with at this point [this

year], " he said.

Reach Davin White

at davinwh...@...

or 348-1254.