Concerns about possible mold growth in the basement of Brookside Primary School in Waterbury prompted the Harwood school district to order tests and school administrators shared results of that testing this week.
Co-principals Sarah Schoolcraft and Chris Neville along with superintendent Dr. Mike Leichliter sent a memo last week to staff and families at Brookside with links to reports from the environmental testing company Fuss & O’Neill in Williston that conducted the review.
The firm was asked to do air-quality testing that was followed by some additional surface swab tests in multiple locations, administrators said.
The testing was requested after teachers at the PreK-Grade 4 school raised concerns, they said. “The school district felt it was prudent to conduct testing since the school is an older structure and does not have modern humidity control systems. Additionally, it is important to remember that the areas of concern in the basement are closed and unoccupied over the summer months,” the principals and superintendent noted in their memo.
Air tests came back with predominantly clear results.
“The analyst concluded that air samples collected throughout the building showed indoor spore levels that were lower than the outdoor air, which indicates that the school does not have a significant indoor source of microbial growth,” the memo noted.
In four classrooms and a hallway location, low levels of aspergillus/penicillium spores were detected, which would indicate moisture. An additional 24 surface areas were tested with five indicating low levels of spores, according to the reports.
The testing firm recommended multiple cleaning steps including vacuuming, washing and dehumidification. “The school district is working with a professional cleaning company to conduct the precautionary cleaning that has been recommended,” the school leaders said.
Leicliter noted that it’s not uncommon for school buildings with basements and with spaces that have been closed over the summer break or that experience water damage such as from flooding to potentially develop mold issues.
“Mold naturally exists in our environment, both indoors and outdoors. The key question is whether indoor air samples show mold levels higher than those found outside,” he said. “In this case, the specialists observed some levels that are not automatically problematic but could become a concern. That’s why they recommended a targeted cleaning to be safe and proactive.”
Leichliter said he thought it best to share the information with the school community: “what concerns exist, what remediation is planned, and then to share the professional reports.”
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