Lumberton schools adjust after mold halts classroom learning
LUMBERTON - A mold problem here has forced students to vacate 26 rooms at two schools here.
Some students have moved to new classrooms, while others are engaged in online instruction due to the issues at Bobby's Run Elementary and Lumberton Middle School, a district official said.
The mold problem is affecting 10 rooms at Bobby's Run and 16 at the middle school, according to a letter sent out by Superintendent Colleen Murray.
Students and staff in Bobby's Run were moved to non-impacted classrooms in the middle school, the letter said.
The middle school students were to begin remote learning.
The mold, identified as aspergillus penicillium, was discovered after a teacher reported a smell, Murray said.
A remediation crew was to start work Thursday evening.
The crews will work seven days a week until students and staff can return safely and fully, and the district will attempt to bring students back in waves.
The district advised middle-school parents and students to prepare for the possibility of two weeks of remote instruction.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that inhaling or touching mold or mold spores can cause adverse reactions, including mold allergies.
Mold can trigger asthma symptoms like shortness of breath, wheezing and coughing in people with allergies, and others can experience irritation.
A two-hour delayed opening was implemented for the schools on Thursday to allow students and staff time to prepare for instruction and pick up any technology that was needed from the middle school.
"This situation is evolving and we are committed to communicating updates as soon as new information is available," the letter read.
The changes were approved by the state Department of Education and will not impact the district calendar.
This article originally appeared on Cherry Hill Courier-Post: 26 Lumberton classrooms, 2 schools impacted by mold growth
