CLARK COUNTY, MO. -- UPDATED: August 16 at 5:00p.m.
A mold problem is canceling class this week and moving students to other areas of the Clark County School District.
Last week school officials there opened their doors to find a big mold problem all over the Running Fox Elementary school and Black Hawk Elementary school.
How to clean up the mold and how the district will pay for it is on the mind of Clark County Superintendent Ritchie Kracht these days.
Staff members *had* cleaned small amounts of mold on some classroom surfaces back in July and continued to monitor things throughout the summer. But they never expected what they saw last week.
Kracht said, "We came back on Monday and ceiling tiles were covered in mold. It spread over the weekend really bad."
Since that discovery, engineers and environmental hygienists have surveyed the damage and the ceiling tiles have been removed. But there is still lingering mold in places like this pipe and this bathroom wall.
This isn't just cleaning off the walls and ceiling. It's a big problem because mold spores may be on anything in classrooms like these. That means everything in these rooms from these markers to the pages of these books have to be cleaned and put through a process to make them safe for kids.
The district is seeking emergency bids to get the clean-up done. In the meantime school has to get started. Superintendent Kracht says school will begin this Monday, August 22.
He says until everything is cleaned, the school district will be shifting its 450 elementary school students to available areas at the Clark County High School and Middle School. Those rooms include the band rooms and library space at both schools.
Kracht says it will be different, but the district will make it work until the clean-up is completed and students are able to return to school.
Kracht said, "The number one priority is the safety of our students and staff."
School officials believe the mold was prompted by work on windows in both schools this summer.
When all the windows were replaced, it opened the entire building up to the extreme humidity.
Parents of Clark County students should expect a letter in the mail this Thursday explaining the changes for the beginning of the school year.
As of right now there is no word on how much the clean-up will cost the district, although it does have some insurance coverage on emergencies like this.
UPDATED: August 16 at 3:50 p.m.
We talked with Superintendent Ritchie Kracht with the Clark County School District.
He says the school district will begin its school year on Monday, August 22.
Until the mold problem is cleaned up, the school district will be shifting its 450 elementary school students to available areas at the Clark County High School and Middle School. Those rooms include the band rooms and library space at both schools.
Kracht says it will be different, but the district will make it work until the clean-up is completed and students are able to safely return to school.
He says parents should expect a letter in the mail this Thursday explaining the changes for the beginning of the school year.
--Original Story--
Two Clark County Schools opened the doors last week to find a mold problem.
School Superintendent Ritchie Kracht says Running Fox and Black Hawk elementary schools both have mold.
Kracht says crews noticed a small amount of mold over the summer while working on projects. When the doors opened this week ... the problem had really exploded.
He says the mold is visible now on the ceiling tiles.
Experts have come in to help resolve the issue.
When KHQA first reported the mold issue, there was no word on the cost or when the doors would open to students for classes.
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