Waynesville Junior/Senior High News - Building Update
School Scheduled To Open:
Since the mold was discovered, Waynesville Junior/Senior High has remained closed for in-person instruction with students and staff. We’ve addressed what we believe were the causes and have a remediation plan so we don’t have a recurrence. Our goal is to have all the remediation and repair work done this week and we will open school next Tuesday, August 30, 2022. Our parents have been tremendously supportive and understanding, and we know our students want to start the school year. Our complete focus has been a return to a safe learning environment. In order to welcome students back on Tuesday, we are allowing staff to report to the Jr./Sr. High school tomorrow August 26, 2022 at their option.
The Issue Was Discovered:
Mold can grow very rapidly under certain conditions and can usually be seen or smelled. We experienced both; visually observing surface mold and noticing a musty smell in the building. Testing revealed two common molds in areas of our high school wing; Cladosporium and Penicillium/Aspergillus types both are commonly found both outside and inside. These molds like moisture and dustiness. For that reason we’ve removed moisture and dampness in the building along with extensive cleaning of all surfaces.
The Remediation Process:
Throughout the remediation process the mold numbers inside the high school have taken a very positive trend downward. The most recent numbers are low and indicate the air samples did not detect, relative to the outside air, the presence of indoor mold growth. Our remediation process included the following:
1. An Active Hydrogen Peroxide Plasma System was installed into the duct work. This is an air purification system that works to kill bacteria, viruses and mold;
2. Portable air scrubbers were utilized with a pre-filter, a main filter, and two cells which flood the area with Hydrogen Peroxide Plasma for disinfection. The air and dehumidifiers have been continuously running. The filters on these units are changed daily.
3. All ceiling tiles in the entire building have been removed and replaced.
4. All light fixtures, ventilation covers and HVAC returns have been removed and thoroughly cleaned and/or totally replaced with new ones.
5. All carpets in the building have been cleaned thoroughly multiple times.
6. Every surface, including walls, floors, shelving, etc. is in the process of being completely disassembled and cleaned.
The Situation Has Been Mitigated Thoroughly:
Representatives of the Warren County Health District met with school district leadership on Wednesday, August 24th to review environmental analysis reports. The health district noted that the school district has taken this occurrence very seriously using aggressive measures to remediate the mold numbers and to prevent a future recurrence. The Health District’s School Environmental Health and Safety Inspection Report states:
“Meeting to discuss the current mold remediation project in Waynesville Senior High School. In attendance were representatives from Wayne Local Schools, including the superintendent, assistant superintendent, principal, and teachers' union president and vice president. Also in attendance was a representative from RAM Restoration, the company conducting the mold remediation. Mold was observed in the Senior High School portion of the building on August 10, 2022. It is believed this was a result of a combination of environmental conditions including extremely hot and humid temperatures, annual carpet cleaning, and the malfunction of the HVAC system. Within the same week of the mold being discovered, RAM Restoration was on site collecting air and surface samples in several locations throughout the building. The initial results indicated the existence of common molds (Cladosporium and Penicillium/Aspergillus types) at levels higher than what is considered normal for an indoor environment. High levels of these species may cause those individuals who are sensitive to mold to experience adverse health effects. More air and surface samples were taken on August 22 and 23 in the same locations. These results showed a marked decrease in the mold counts from the previous tests, with most being in the lower ranges. The carpets were shown to have no mold growth at that time. At the time of our meeting, crews were still working on wiping down all surfaces in every room and finishing up the third round of carpet cleaning. It appears that the situation has been mitigated thoroughly and there has been a significant overall reduction in mold found. The United States EPA does not have established standards for mold as it pertains to indoor air quality, but the recent sampling events indicate that the levels found indoors are now far below those levels that were found outside the structure. As such, the risk for adverse health reactions due to mold inside the structure should also be reduced.”
The Is Building Safe and Ready for Students and Staff:
Yes. We have been informed by the professionals that the risk for adverse health reactions has been reduced and is even below mold levels normally found outside.
For Students This Means:
Students will begin in-person instruction on August 30th for grades 7-12.
For Staff This Means:
Staff have the option to report to the Jr./Sr. High school tomorrow August 26, 2022 to work in their classrooms.
