Wilbur-McMahon Schools Safe For First Day

Little Compton students will return to the as planned on Tuesday, Sept. 4 after school officials worked last week to remove a higher than average presence of mold from their air.

Students were supposed to start the 2012-13 school year in temporary classroom pods on nearby field while the Wilbur-McMahon School undergoes an .

The school department shuttered the building at the start of summer in preparation for the project, but a last minute change in the location of the temporary classroom pods would have delayed the start of the school year and Supt. Katherine Crowley and the School Committee decided to use the school until the temporary units were ready.

"We are opening tomorrow," said Crowley. "The reports came back, we have had filters running all weekend in the buiding and will until tomorrow morning and we are all set."

The school department hired professional cleaners to rid carpets of mold particles and consulted with the state Deparment of Health (HEALTH) on how to best air out the building after it failed an initial mold screening on Aug. 22. Higher than average levels of Aspergillus Penicillum reportedly registered inside four classrooms and the cafeteria.

Rhode Island Analytical, an environmental firm, completed the testing and consulted with the school on mitigating the issue.