(8/25) On August 10 Fairfield Area School District announced that the district is currently in the process of dealing with mold in all buildings and the beginning of the school year will be pushed back until September 4. "I apologize for the short notice but we have recently confirmed the need to delay the start of the school year in order to allow the district to bring in professionals to clean all buildings and ventilation systems prior to accepting staff and students," Superintendent Karen Kugler wrote in the letter.

According to Daniel Larson, of CMI Environmental Health and Safety Company, mold is pretty commonly found in homes and commercial buildings, but is especially tough to control in big buildings such as schools. "During the summertime, when we approach consistently high levels of humidity, along with record amounts of rainfall this summer, it’s really difficult to keep an exact balance with the HVAC system so you don’t get conditions where you get condensation and other conditions conducive to mold growth," wrote Kugler.

During a school board meeting held on August 13, Larson mentioned that the most heavily affected area was the Elementary School building, and a large amount of the mold was found in the upholstered furniture and underneath the desks. As part of the remediation process, the ventilation system will be cleaned, carpets, ceilings, curtains etc. will be cleaned, and approximately 300 pieces of furniture will be replaced. According to Kugler, the projected cost is $1.2 million, which doesn’t include the price of replacing the furniture, or Mr. Larson’s fees. So the end price will well exceed the projected $1.2 million.

As part of the remediation contract de-humidifier equipment will be rented by the school district and will continue to run until the buildings are switched over to the heating system. When spring arrives, and the air conditioning units are switched back on, the issue of mold will be re-addressed, according to Kugler.

The mold also affected the YWCA, which has two classrooms in the Fairfield Area School District that provide before and after-school care for children up to 12 years old. According to a press release issued by the YWCA, since the discovery of mold in the Fairfield Area School District the YWCA was forced to destroy $40,000 worth of supplies. Now the YWCA is asking for assistance and donations from the community to help recoup the supplies that were lost.

Due to the delayed start of the school year, graduation has also been pushed back until June 12, 2019. Parents are asked to continue monitoring the school’s website, social media sites, One-Call alerts and mailings for updated information regarding the start of the school year.