Dear Southampton School Parents and Staff:
The school district has identified a mold issue in a conference room and the in-school suspension room in School #2. Both of these areas have been closed to students and staff, and will not be used until remediation and post remediation air quality testing is conducted, and the rooms are cleared for occupancy. Remediation of this problem will be initiated this upcoming weekend. . This remediation is the result of a visual inspection and indoor air quality testing that was conducted by Coastal Environmental Compliance, LLC, after one of our staff members reported concerns pertaining to what appeared to be surface mold to Supervisor of Buildings and Grounds, Mr. Greene.
Coastal Environmental's visual inspection confirmed the presence of some surface mold and it was recommended that an indoor air quality test evaluation should be completed as well. Coastal Environmental characterized the mold observed during the visual inspection as surface mold on mainly wood surfaces such as desks, tables and cork strips.
Results of the initial indoor air quality test in School #2 indicated that two room used for small group instruction (Room 49 and 50) have elevated levels of mold exceeding the ambient (outside) atmosphere. Coastal Environmental inspected adjacent classrooms and evidence of surface mold in the Art Room (Room 48) and the Guidance Office (Room 51).
All other classrooms in School #2 were below ambient air levels.
In addition, the district expanded the inspection to include School #1. Based on the visual inspection it was determined that some minimal surface mold was present in the School #1 Health Office.
Air quality testing on the Art Room, Guidance Office, and School #1 Health Office indicated that the air quality of the rooms was well below the ambient levels and therefore safe to occupy.
The district has contracted with a licensed mold remediation contractor to complete the remediation of the mold at the school according to the scope of work developed by Coastal Environmental Compliance, LLC. Coastal Environmental will monitor the remediation and air samples will be taken to assure that no rooms will be occupied until air quality is safe.
The Initial Indoor Air Quality Investigation Report is available to the public and posted on the website.
We have inquired as to what precipitated the development of the mold. Our environmental consultant and licensed mold remediation contractor speculate that the mold is the result of the excessively high humidity that we experienced several weeks ago coupled with the fact the impacted rooms are air conditioned. This problem is presently being experienced by several school districts in New Jersey.
The health and safety our students and staff is our number one priority for this situation, so we will not reoccupy Room #49 or #50 until the post remediation indoor air quality results confirm that the remediation efforts are successful.
Please feel free to contact my office at (609) 859-2256, Extension #127, if you have any further questions.
Sincerely,
Michael L. Harris, Superintendent
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