Video: Milton Mold Postpones School

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Milton Mold Postpones School

Milton, Vermont - August 17, 2006

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" I'm nervous about sending my daughter to kindergarten for the first

time. It's concerning, " says Milton parent Crystal North.

North says it's hard enough sending her daughter Madison to

kindergarten. But it's harder knowing her new elementary school has

been closed because of mold.

" Last week, there was a teacher here who, as she said, had ten years

here and has been sick constantly because of allergies to mold and

dust and what's to say the kids won't develop that being in the

school? " asks North.

School officials told parents at a special meeting Thursday night

that the school would not open until it was safe. An environmental

consultant detailed the cleanup on a color-coded map. There was much

more of the troublesome orange, but he said the problem had not

gotten worse.

" We've just decided that yellow, or medium, or moderate, or may be

OK, really isn't OK and we're just going to clean it. That's why

it's going to orange, " explained environmental consultant Todd

Hobson.

Some sections have already gotten a green light for occupancy. But

the school won't start on time on August 30th.

" I'm proposing to have us start school on Monday, September 11, "

said Milton school superintendent Holden Waterman.

Most of the building should be ready by Labor Day. But the library

and a horseshoe-shaped wing that sustained the most damage may not

be ready until October 1. That would leave 18 classrooms off limits.

Those classes could be moved to art and music rooms or science labs.

" Using every available space, we can accommodate those 18 classes, "

explained Waterman.

" We've cleaned all those ceiling tiles inch by inch, we've wiped

down all the walls, vacuumed all the floors and we're in the process

of doing a final cleaning. I'll give it my white glove tomorrow and

we'll do some testing and we're optimistic that will be in good

shape. That's pretty much a recipe for what's going to happen in all

the other areas, " said Hobson.

That said, Crystal North says she's still concerned about the

mold: " The only way to really get rid of it is tear it down and

start new. "

The school board has authorized $150,000 for the cleanup. They say

that won't be enough, but right now their concern is the cleanup,

not the price tag.

In an effort to make sure the mold doesn't come back, there was talk

at the meeting about putting dehumidifiers or air conditioners in

classrooms-- they need to control humidity to prevent the mold.

And again, the delayed start only affects the elementary school.

Administrators want to keep the high school on schedule so it

doesn't affect athletics or graduation.

Kate Duffy - Channel 3 News