Prescott High School: Mold at school is not a health issue

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PHS: Mold at school is not a health issue

By LOUISE KONIARSKI

The Daily Courier

PRESCOTT - Spray Systems, a Phoenix environmental construction company, will

begin removing a patch of black mold Monday from an interior wall toward the

rear of Prescott High School.

Principal Tim said Tuesday that a workman preparing a wall for

painting in Room 301 found the mold behind a large bulletin board. The

school's environmental consultant, Kathleen Frost of Western Technologies,

took samples from the wall, carpet and surrounding areas.

Test results indicated the presence of Aspergillus Niger, a pathogen. The

school got approval from National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air

Pollutants officials to begin work immediately.

" We have no reason to believe there's a negative health issue at this

point, " said. " The mold was very isolated and not airborne, as far

as we know. "

Further, he noted that Room 301 is a spare classroom that teachers and

students used infrequently.

The paint job was part of a project to make that room into a café for the

Family Consumer Science (home economics) classroom next door in Room 300.

As yet, no one knows if the mold resulted from a previous roof leak or from

a sink on the other side of the wall.

According to , both rooms are off limits until further notice to

everyone except abatement workers, who will remove the affected wall and

carpet in a contained environment.

Then Western Technologies will perform environmental testing. Once the

school receives necessary clearances and all state and federal reporting is

done, workers will replace the wall and carpet.

expects the work to be finished by Aug. 8, when faculty returns.

School starts Aug. 13.

won't know if sheet rock on the other side of the non-load-bearing

wall contains mold until workmen open it. Therefore, he can't estimate how

much it will cost to fix it.

The district hopes the State Facilities Board will foot the bill. If not,

the district will have to tap its property sale or building renewal funds.

Nearly two years ago, the school found and removed stachybotrys fungus from

the Vocational Building and other spots under leaky roofs, which the

district replaced.

For more information, contact at 445-2322.

Contact Louise Koniarski at lkoniarski@....