Sparta Schools Wait On Mold Test Results, Expected Week of Aug. 9

SPARTA, NJ - Some isolated mold incidents in the Alpine Elementary and Helen Morgan Schools found in early July didn’t interrupt summer programs and were remediated, but the Sparta School District’s administrators ordered random air quality tests in all five schools, to make sure everything’s good to go before the start of the upcoming school year.

Superintendent Matthew L. Beck told Patch on Thursday, “I am confident we will be able to open all of our schools safely in September as planned.”

Beck said the district’s administrators are certain that the mold located in both Alpine and Helen Morgan were isolated to the areas by the HVAC units where it was detected, the HVAC systems the root cause. The HVAC units - located in the modulars at Alpine and in the annex at Helen Morgan - were slated for removal and replacement as part of a project, Beck explained.

Those with children in Alpine and Helen Morgan were updated in two letters from Beck, one on July 7 and the other on July 9. In the first letter, he explained both the contractors who found the mold and the district’s environmental consultant - who was notified quickly after it was located in both schools - acted quickly. Sheetrock was removed with the beams treated to prevent it in the future.

In his July 9 letter, he updated families to let them know that there were “elevated” levels of mold spores at the initial air sampling in these schools, likely because of the contractors working on the HVAC units, which stirred it up.

In response to those initial results, the studs behind the sheetrock were disinfected and the school ran air scrubbers for 96 hours straight, an additional 24 hours more than the recommended time.

Once the district receives the air quality results back, early the week of Aug. 9, Beck said he plans to update the school community.

“I would like to make the random air quality tests an annual practice to ensure the health and safety of our students and staff,” Beck said.

Questions or comments about this story? Have a news tip? Contact me at: jennifer.miller@patch.com.