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Mold found at Lodi school; affected areas closed until inspection, repairs finished

By Kendyce Manguchei
News-Sentinel Staff Writer
Saturday, September 23, 2006 7:24 AM PDT

Comments (16 comment(s))

An outbreak of mold at Lawrence Elementary School discovered during a recent roofing project has forced Lodi Unified School District to close five classrooms, the library and front office at the school while it conducts testing and mold removal.

School officials first suspected Lawrence had mold two weeks ago when workers found stains on the school's roof. A consultant confirmed the mold discovery Friday morning, said the district's assistant superintendent of facilities planning Art Hand.

Hand said the facilities planning and administration staff met Friday morning and decided to move the students out of the most affected areas before lunchtime.

Principal Cathy Kurey sent home letters with all students in English and Spanish explaining the situation, and used the district's new Connect-Ed automated calling system to notify parents.

"We do know that mold is something we don't want to have in our classrooms," Hand said. "We're being aggressive and appropriate. When we find anything we act very quickly."

He said the building has been sealed off to prevent air from escaping. No one is allowed to enter the area except the mold eradication workers.

On Friday morning, the district ordered six portable buildings from a Bay Area company, to be used as five classrooms and an office, starting Monday. The portables will be installed at the rear Grape Bowl parking lot this weekend.

Starting Oct. 2, students will be on their first two-week school break under the new Modified Traditional calendar. Hand said it will be clear whether students and staff can move back onto campus by that time.

Hand said the Sacramento-based company ADR Environmental Group conducted an air quality test about two weeks ago, which found a few mold spores. A second, more specific, test was done last week, and found elevated levels of mold spores, Hand said.

Mold abatement will be done in two phases. The first phase is an investigation, when a contractor will open up walls to see where the mold originated. The work should cost less than $15,000, based on the square footage of the area and ADR's estimate. Quotes for work from three companies are being reviewed and work should begin Monday morning.

The second phase is reconstruction. Hand said he doesn't know when that will begin, how long it will take or how much it will cost. Those factors depend on what is found during the mold investigation, he said.

Contact reporter Kendyce Manguchei at kendycem@lodinews.com.

First published: Saturday, September 23, 2006

Reader Feedback

Anon wrote on Sep 25, 2006 4:59 PM:

" Why would the newspaper report that "the building has been sealed off to prevent air from escaping. No one is allowed to enter the area except the mold eradication workers" when staff spent Friday, Saturday, and part of Sunday in and out of the rooms removing all classroom items? Still today the air conditioning system is running. One would think that is letting air escape from the building, no? Something there confuses me...! When the workers come for a more thorough inspection they will be wearing respirators. Why weren't those provided for staff? "

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2 Please wrote on Sep 25, 2006 8:06 AM:

" I know a church (VCMS) that has some trailers they'll probably rent to LUSD on Lodi Ave at the Baptist church. Contact Pat Patrick. LOL "

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oh wrote on Sep 25, 2006 12:34 AM:

" Are we sure we arn't over reacting to this?15teenthousand damage that means 200dollars couple of boards and a piece of sheetrock!How much is it going to cost to rent those trailers?Probably more then the damage!RIGHT? "

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cds wrote on Sep 24, 2006 8:51 PM:

" T & C where else were the kids to go? That was the best and only choice. "

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Re: Searcher wrote on Sep 24, 2006 7:31 PM:

" The problem with mold is greatly over hyped. Schools have to take a "knee-jerk" position on mold. As any simpleton knows, minor mold has been around for a thousand years. You are alive and so am I, my uncle at 98 is doing just fine. It is sad that the schools have to knee jerk everytime something normal happens. Look around your houses....there is way more "mold" than anything in the schools. "

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Lodian wrote on Sep 24, 2006 12:06 AM:

" I thought that if a building was determined to have mold that everything in that building was to be left and the people told to evacuate. Maybe I'm thinking of just the black mold, but aren't there other molds just as dangerous? "

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Lodian wrote on Sep 24, 2006 12:05 AM:

" T&C: Even though I don't care for portables much, I'm starting to think the poratbles are a safer bet than the old school buildings. "

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Oh, Come On! wrote on Sep 23, 2006 9:48 PM:

" You breath more mold walking to the mailbox than you would in any of the mentioned situations. This is just another lawsuit waiting to happen. "

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i before e except after c wrote on Sep 23, 2006 8:18 PM:

" Hats off to the Certified and Classified staff who were gracious enough to reschedule their time to make this transition possible. Thanks for taking one for our kids! Facilities and Planning did the right thing in removing the faculty and students from a potentially harmful situation. The "trailers for classrooms" is only temporary...get over it! "

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Place of Employment wrote on Sep 23, 2006 8:01 PM:

" I once worked in one of Lodi's older companies. I got so ill working in their old building. I constantly had a sore throat and cough and runny nose. Had to repeatedly go to the doctor, who finally said he thought that it must be the old building that I was working in, must have mold. "

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concerned parent wrote on Sep 23, 2006 11:17 AM:

" Since some people suffer from mold-related allergies, I think it was very prudent of the school district to proceed cautiously with the mold situation at the school. In the long run it is better to have students and teachers in portables for as long as it takes to clean up the mold. I have been involved in other school districts in California which experienced a similar problem and that is also the way it was handled. It is exactly because this is a school concerned about the health and safety of its students that they have taken thse measures. 9/23/06 "

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Questions and concerns wrote on Sep 23, 2006 11:02 AM:

" Readers should be aware that today, Saturday, teachers are moving around in the mold-infested environment, packing up teaching materials! If the building is potentially toxic, is LUSD providing respirators and masks for the teachers? Will the teachers, secretaries and principals who are working on Saturday get paid for giving up their time? "

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NewToLodi wrote on Sep 23, 2006 10:45 AM:

" Wasn't there just a story in the paper how this school was healthy, and walk to school, eat breakfast. all that jazz. Must be a coincidence they find mold the very next day. "

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T & C wrote on Sep 23, 2006 10:10 AM:

" Oh great, more trailers for classrooms. "

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Not Surprised wrote on Sep 23, 2006 7:48 AM:

" Kudos to LUSD staff for making the decision to play it safe rather than jeopardize the health of all who would have continued to have been exposed to the mold. 9/23/06 7:48 a.m. "

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Not Surprised wrote on Sep 23, 2006 7:46 AM:

" Odd how different agencies handle this problem...former City Finance office had bad mold growing on walls, and never shut down for even one day. Employees were subjected to the ill effects for years. 9/23/06 7:46 a.m. "

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