Two classrooms at Nordstrom Elementary School have been temporarily relocated after mold growth was detected in one of the portable structures, according to a letter sent out to families from principal Deborah Grove.
“In late October, it was brought to the attention of the district that the possibility of mold growth may have been detected in portable classroom 13,” Grove wrote. “Additional concerns were raised by the occupants of the other portable classrooms as to the potential for elevated exposure of mold in these classrooms as well.”
Once notified, Morgan Hill Unified School District officials contracted the environmental testing firm HazMat Doc “to test, document and determine the level of mold exposure in these classrooms.” Those inspections, which were performed on Nov. 1, “concluded that mold and other toxin exposure was at acceptable ambient levels, and even below levels outside of the portable classrooms,” according to Grove’s letter.
An industrial hygienist firm is reviewing those initial findings to validate the conclusions by HazMat Doc.
In statement posted on the district website (mhusd.org) regarding the issue, Superintendent Steve Betando said he is “both confident and pleased with the results of these environmental tests….We take this matter very seriously. Any time a perceived or real concern regarding our classrooms is expressed, we are committed to addressing the issue immediately to preserve the highest standard of our students’ learning environments.”
In the interim, district officials “in an abundance of caution” decided to temporarily move two classrooms, one to the multipurpose room and the other to the resource room while the classrooms are cleaned and brought to “beyond the highest of standards,” Grove wrote.
HazMat Doc’s report also recommended the district examine the HVAC system to ensure suggested capacity for installation and filtration system, regular replacement of the HVAC filters, upgraded housekeeping and conduct follow up air sampling.
“It is important to note that, while the environmental quality of our school rooms meet and exceed standards, there are students who may have pre-existing, underlying health conditions that cause specific sensitivities to even ambient levels of environmental structures,” Grove wrote. “While the district does not anticipate any health issues specifically related to this matter, we are committed to assisting students who may have pre-existing, special health needs, without question.”
