PRINCETON, WV (WVNS) — Students at one school in Mercer County will not be able to start back to school until further notice due to a mold outbreak in classrooms.
According to a press release from Mercer County Schools, the substance was detected on surfaces inside classrooms on Monday, August 8, 2022.
This prompted the school system to close the school so they could fix the issue, including the school’s HVAC system.
Kelli Stanley, the Principal at Princeton Primary said this led to the decision to push back the date when students could return to class.
“It’s going to change some things. We can’t go in the building right now, our teachers can’t get in their rooms so we got to gather those supplies get ready, get excited, and maybe meet our students in different ways than we have in the past,” said Stanley.
Matthew Bragg, the Lead Sanitarian of the Mercer County Health Department, said pushing back the in-person start date was the right decision.
He said it would not be the best environment for children to learn in, especially those with health issues.
“Molds can produce allergens, irritants to upper respiratory. they can cause asthmatic reactions and those sorts of things,” said Bragg.
Bragg said once the company fixes the issue, he will go inside the school and perform an inspection before giving the all-clear.
Stanley said she is not sure when the school can reopen for in-person learning due to the outside source continuing to work on the mold. But, she said she cannot wait to welcome back each and every student.