South Western High School Infested with Cladosporium

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Monday, January 07, 2002 10:15 AM MST

Fungus taints a school

Classroom shut; cause investigated

By JOSEPH DEINLEIN

For Dispatch/Sunday News

Nearly four months after a tornado damaged the outside of South Western High

School, officials have discovered cladosporium, a common fungus, in one

classroom near the damaged area.

Though not toxic, the fungus can irritate individuals with allergies, hay

fever or asthma, so district officials last week decided to stop using the

classroom for teaching.

Air quality tests are done periodically during a school year, district

Superintendent Barbara Rupp said. Officials decided to specifically test the

" K " wing, which houses language classrooms, because they were the most

affected by the tornado.

The tests were conducted Dec. 10. Results received early last week revealed

fungus in Room 502, Rupp said.

" These (classrooms) are the ones that suffered the most water damage, " Rupp

said. " Students and faculty have been moved out until we find the source. "

Curt Wittman, a certified industrial hygienist with Pure Earth Environmental

Labs, conducted the tests. He said cladosporium is the most common fungus in

the world.

" It's found absolutely everywhere, " Wittman said. " It's the fungus that

breaks down plants, grass, leaves, things like that. "

Wittman said the source of the fungus therefore may or may not be associated

with the Sept. 24 tornado.

Since the fungus is not toxic, the room has not been sealed off.

Lynch, a Spanish teacher who uses the room, has been allowed to enter

periodically to retrieve teaching materials.

Rupp said she had not received any complaints from students taught in the

room since Sept. 24. But Lynch did say she had been having some allergy

problems since the tornado caused about $300,000 damage to district

buildings, including the high school and Emory H. Markle Intermediate School

across Bowman Road.

Workers searched the room last week to find the source of the fungus,

according to principal Quashnoc. Wittman said the source is likely some

organic material, such as leaves or grass clippings, that made its way into

a vent. Because of this, it should be easy to clean up, he said.

Once cleaned, the classroom will be retested and students readmitted

assuming no more fungus is present.

Quashnoc said he hoped the cleaning would be done within a week. Meanwhile,

Lynch has become a " traveling teacher, " using whatever classroom is open in

the " K " wing, Quashnoc said.

While five classrooms in the " K " wing were tested, no others showed signs of

cladosporium or any other harmful mold or fungus.

Rupp said a letter was sent home to parents explaining the situation.

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