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Testing at Kinawa 5-6 School

August 2024: Upon receiving reports of potential surface mold in classrooms, areas of Kinawa were tested for surface and airborne mold. The Environmental Resources Group, our environmental testing partner, sampled air and dust in areas around the building, and issued their report on Wednesday evening. 

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Test results showed the air quality was within expected norms.  Surface mold, however, was detected in dust above the normal threshold of 1%. ERG confirms the rooms are safe to occupy.

 

The presence of some mold in dust is inevitable, but with good housekeeping practices and a dry indoor environment, mold should not be present at levels above 1%.  While test results did show elevated levels of mold spores in the dust, the lack of mold in the air shows that the building’s filtration systems are working effectively. Lab results are available on the district’s environmental testing website.

 

Our Operations Department identified a source of moisture in the school’s basement and incorrect settings on the HVAC system that led to the formation of mold. Those issues are in process of being remedied and humidity levels are falling.

Kinawa Action Plan: Based on the test results, ERG anticipates that surface mold exists in other spaces in the building. Professionals trained in remediation will proactively go room-by-room to address surface mold in each area immediately. Additionally, we will follow ERG’s recommendations or additional testing through the building during and after the cleaning process.

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The district already completed ERG's recommendations to:

  • Retain a mold remediation professional to clean visibly moldy surfaces in the large basement storage room following established guidelines. Ensure the HVAC equipment serving this area is operating at peak performance.

  • Inspect the interior of the air handling units and complete necessary repairs, followed by periodic inspections.

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The district will follow ERG’s mold remediations recommendations to: 

  • Have an HVAC expert inspect the air handlers and their operational controls and programming to ensure they are operating at peak performance, determine if mold is present in the HVAC units, and have them professionally cleaned and sanitized, if necessary. This recommendation is in process.

  • Perform routine housekeeping activities, especially carpet vacuuming, with commercial vacuums equipped with HEPA filters. The HEPA-filtered commercial vacuums have been ordered.

  • Permanently remove air fresheners from classrooms due to the possible release of VOCs and potentially toxic and hazardous chemicals.

  • Allow mold-trained OPS Operations staff or ERG conduct an evaluation of mold conditions in every room in Kinawa Middle School.

  • Based on ERG’s recommendations, conduct periodic airborne mold testing.

  • Develop a mold remediation protocol to clean each room 

  • Utilize ERG to conduct additional evaluation which might include the collection of a more detailed building history, destructive testing, additional mold in air testing, and sampling for VOCs or microbiologically derived VOCs (MVOCs).

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