Elgin Elementary School Closed Until Monday Due To Mold
CHICAGO (CBS)-- Classes were canceled at Coleman Elementary School in Elgin Thursday after mold was discovered in the school. Classes will be canceled for the rest of the week, as well as Monday as school officials work to remedy the situation.
School District 46 officials said health risks due to the mold are low, but they decided to close school as a precaution.
Crews were working to remove the mold this week. School officials plan to update parents on the progress of the cleanup efforts on Thursday.
The district is citing a rainy summer, followed by humid stretches as factors for the problem.
Mold was found in hallways, several classrooms and the cafeteria, according to District 46 CEO Tony Sanders.
"What's unique about this building is it's full of wood paneling (and) that wood is where most of the problem lies," Sanders said. "With the humidity we have, there's mold spores around us all the time. When it gets attached to something in a building, we do have to remediate it on a regular basis."
Sanders said workers were using dehumidifiers on Thursday to lower moisture levels throughout the building.
5 P.M. UPDATE: School officials said Coleman Elementary will be closed through Monday, September 17 while a plant operations team works to remediate the mold and reduce moisture levels in the building, as well as check the air quality.
For more information, Coleman Elementary officials posted a question and answer section on the school's website.