BURLINGTON, N.C. (WGHP) — The Alamance-Burlington School System has delayed the start of the 2023-24 school year amid an ongoing battle with mold issues in school buildings.

The school system released the following statement in a news release:

We sincerely apologize for the disruption that this decision will cause for our ABSS families and staff, but due to the recent discovery of toxigenic mold in more schools since Friday and tests revealing the possibility of more toxigenic mold at other campuses, we have made the difficult decision to delay the first day of school until Monday, September 11, 2023.  

We understand that this delay is inconvenient.  However, with more than 25 schools now impacted, the health and safety of our students and staff is our top priority. As you know, upon finding mold at one school, we decided to check all schools for mold and air quality. The Alamance County Commissioners have allowed us to reallocate nearly $17 million to address these issues.

ABSS has hired professional remediation experts who are specially trained to remove this type of mold. They will thoroughly clean all affected materials and HVAC systems following strict remediation procedures. After this deep cleaning, a third party industrial hygienist will test the air quality to certify the buildings are safe for re-occupancy. 

We believe this brief postponement is necessary to open schools under safe conditions. We also plan to allow teachers time before opening day to set up their classrooms on September 8.  Administrators will communicate with staff regarding those plans.

Statement from ABSS

The school system says it will work to keep the spring break period of the school calendar in place. However, adjustments may need to be made given the delayed start to the school year.

ABSS will also set up food sites for students who received free or reduced lunch to be able to get meals. Those sites will be revealed on Monday.