ALAMANCE COUNTY, N.C. (WGHP) — As the Alamance-Burlington School System continues its battle against mold impacting multiple campuses in their district, a more dangerous variety has been discovered in multiple schools.
ABSS announced on Wednesday morning that environmental inspectors were assessing campuses as they continue to war against the mold that has been discovered at multiple campuses when they discovered toxigenic mold at Cummings High School and Broadview Middle School.
“Remediation efforts are now underway at both schools,” the district said.
The type of mold found is called “Chaetomium” which inspectors say is from “invasive water damage over time.”
On Friday, FOX8 learned toxic airborne mold was discovered at the following five schools:
- Eastlawn Elementary School
- Haw River Elementary School
- Eastern High School
- Graham High School
- Woodlawn Middle School
The school district says it has accelerated testing, however, protocols are different for toxigenic mold. This will involve cleaning and removing sheetrock, furniture and building materials that are impacted.
Andrews and Newlin Elementary Schools have completed their remediation. The remediation is underway at:
- Alexander Wilson Elementary School
- Altamahaw-Ossipee Elementary School
- B. Everett Jordan Elementary School
- Broadview Middle School
- Cummings High School
- E.M. Holt Elementary School
- Eastlawn Elementary School
- Eastern Alamance High School
- Garrett Elementary School
- Graham High School
- Grove Park Elementary School
- Haw River Elementary School
- Highland Elementary School
- Pleasant Grove Elementary School
- Ray Street Academy School
- South Graham Elementary School
- South Mebane Elementary School
- Southern Alamance Middle School
- Southern Alamance High School
- Sylvan Elementary School
- Turrentine Middle School
- Western Alamance High School
- Western Alamance Middle School
- Williams High School
- Woodlawn Middle School
Alamance-Burlington School Systems delayed the start of the school year until Tuesday, Sept. 5, due to the ongoing mold issues, but no word on if the first day will be further delayed.
“We are in crisis mode. We ask for patience and adaptability on behalf of our families and our staff as we move forward in the coming days,” said Sandy Ellington-Graves, board chair of the Alamance-Burlington Board of Education.
Ellington-Graves’ statement comes after a joint meeting on Friday between the BoE and the Alamance County Commissioners.
The commissioners agreed to provide an additional approximate $7 million to ABSS for mold remediation efforts.
With this latest allocation, the county has now granted more than $17 million total to combat mold issues and make urgent HVAC repairs in ABSS schools.
