School mold problem subsides

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School mold problem subsides

By Malcom, News-Leader

Fernandina Beach News-Leader Fl.

http://www.fbnewsleader.com/articles/2006/03/05/news/04newschoolmold.

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Mold problems that plagued several Nassau County schools have

subsided due in part to the winter weather, custodial manager Tim

Groat told school board members last week.

" We haven't had any reports for three months, " Groat said at the

Feb. 23 meeting of the Nassau County School Board.

Earlier in the school year, several teachers and administrators had

reported problems with patches of mold in district schools including

Callahan Intermediate, Fernandina Beach High, Yulee Primary and

Callahan Middle.

Martha , a librarian at Yulee Primary, was one of the most

outspoken school employees about the problem, sending a series of e-

mails complaining about mold in the library's books. She now says

the situation has been greatly improved.

" I have been sick, sick and sicker, " she told Principal

Gray in an Oct. 3 e-mail. " ...I cannot give up until this library is

cleaned up. "

Now says a plan formulated by several school employees,

including Gray, Groat and Director of Adult, Career and Technical

Education Sharyl Wood, has been activated and has nearly resolved

the problem.

" We've set up parameters of what is acceptable and what is not

acceptable in books, " said. " ... The books we have now are

all cleaned, we've got the large dehydration machine running ...

it's absolutely being handled. "

, who also had complained of allergy problems related to the

mold, said she hasn't had to take allergy medication since earlier

in the school year.

" Books (from the YPS library) have been sorted and vacuumed ... and

should be returned next week, " Groat told board members. He said

Callahan Middle has also had " vast improvements " over the past few

months; several CMS employees had complained about areas of mold in

certain classrooms, including the school's band room.

Board member Janet Adkins suggested having Nassau County

environmental health specialist Wade Sparkman speak to board members

at a future board meeting on cleaning and preventing mold.

" It just makes sense to be proactive, " Adkins said. " ... Let's just

perhaps get some more information. "

" We can certainly have him come, " said Nassau County Schools

Superintendent Ruis. " I don't know if he's going to tell us

anything that we haven't already experienced. "

Board members agreed to contact Sparkman for a possible presentation

on mold.

In October Groat and school district Director of Facilities Cris

McConnell predicted colder weather would temper mold growth in

school buildings. Groat told board members at the meeting that new

cleaning procedures had also helped clear up the problem.

Ruis told board members he didn't believe the mold had posed a

significant health risk to students or school employees.

" We have had some testing, we have tested mold, " Ruis said, " ... but

as far as a lot of people getting sick, I don't know that we've had

any real widespread illness. "

smalcom@...

Story created Mar 03, 2006 - 11:40:36 PST.