Mold Closes School Building In Osceola County, Florida

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Mold Closes School Building In Osceola County

Tue Sep 17, 1:21 PM ET

Another local school has to spend money to solve a mold problem. This time

it's Poinciana High School in Osceola County.

A roof in one of the buildings leaked during the summer, and school

officials have been forced to close several classrooms, WESH NewsChannel 2

reported. To fix the problems they'll basically have to rip out anything

that has mold on it.

A concerned parent called WESH NewsChannel 2 environmental reporter Dave

Mc on Monday morning, wondering why an entire building at the school

was locked up. She had heard it was mold, but said she felt she couldn't get

a straight answer from the school district.

" We feel like we caught it in time, " Osceola County public schools associate

superintendent said.

In the graphic arts lab, all of the ceiling tiles were ripped down because

they were moldy.

" You notice a little bit of visible mold around the outlets to the air

conditioning system, " pointed out.

It's not so much the mold you see or don't see, but the moldy smell that

caused the school district to label the graphic arts, chorus and band rooms

unsafe. They're closed off, every bit of furniture stacked in outdoor

hallways.

" It is annoying, and if you're sensitive to it you will react to it, "

said. " We have removed all of the staff and students from the spaces and

relocated them elsewhere in the school until we have completed the cleanup

and the cleanup is certified. "

When weather allows the band can practice outside. If not, the new weight

room building is serving as a replacement for the classrooms until the

$500,000, six-week repair is finished.

Less than two weeks ago it was parents in the Lake County community of

Minneola saying they weren't getting enough answers. The state stepped in to

investigate their claims that mold at Minneola Elementary School was making

their children sick.

Behind the scenes, parents in Poinciana are saying the same thing, that

they're not getting enough information. School district officials promise a

letter will be going home soon, one that will assure them that students'

safety is job one.

" We won't allow students and staff back into the rooms until we get

certification that the mold is cleaned up, and the building is safe to go

back in, " said.

The first priority was to get the roof repaired, and that work has been

completed, he said. The work to get rid of the mold will start immediately.