Officals To Check Belfry Middle For Black Mold

October 28, 2008

on Daily News - on,WV*

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

JULIA R. GOAD

Staff Writer

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Officials are going to evalute Belfry Middle School this week to see

if the facility is infected with dangerous black mold.

The Pike County Board of Education will begin an effort Tuesday to

ensure the health and safety of students at Belfry Middle School.

Jim Blankenship with the Maintenance Department of the BOE said the

Board had received some complaints. " Some parents have contacted the

Board, " Elswick said. " We will go in to the building Tuesday. " He

said the department does not as yet know if there is indeed mold in

the building that would pose a danger to students. The extend of

mold, as well as the type of cleanup that may be required, will be

known after the maintenance crew has inspected the building.

Although the issue of mold in the school has been brought up by a

parent, no student has been positively diagnosed with illness caused

by mold in the building.

Matt Mercer is Vice-Principal at Belfry Middle. He told the Daily

News the school has had a plan for maintenance in place for the

school year which includes taking steps to help prevent mold. " We

have a plan in place to clean and paint the rooms in the basement

this year, " Mercer said. The plan includes a three step process, he

explained. The room is cleaned with bleach to kill any mold that may

be present, then sealed and painted with a mold prevention

paint. " Our plan calls for two to three rooms to be done at a time,

some of it over the Christmas break, " Mercer said. " But a parent

came to us with concerns, so we are going to start the process

immediately. "

The building, the former Belfry High School, was completely cleaned

and renovated four years ago. Mercer said he felt the school is in

better condition since the renovations have been done. " People tell

us this building is in the best shape it has been in for fifty

years. We are very proud of it. "

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