Potential Mold Problem Moves Start of School to Wednesday at Saline Middle School

Saline Area Schools Superintendent Rachel Kowalski announced Sunday that school will not begin at Saline Middle School until Wednesday. The start of school was delayed until Tuesday in an announcement on Friday.

"While I had hoped we would be able to provide a report of final environmental testing to our families on Monday, testing has been delayed until Tuesday to allow construction dust to resolve in the building. This delay is due to the workload strain on skilled professionals who are managing numerous similar projects in the region. This delay is not related to any additional findings requiring remediation," Kowalski wrote in a letter to parents. "Because we now expect to receive final environmental test results on Tuesday, we have decided to delay the start of the school year at Saline Middle School until Wednesday, August 27."

High humidity levels over the summer are believed to have contributed to the concerns about mold in several schools around the region.

More from Kowalski's letter:

Over the weekend, professional restoration crews replaced roof air handler filters and individual classroom unit filters, and have begun a thorough building-wide cleaning process that includes air scrubbers, HEPA vacuuming, dehumidification, and antimicrobial surface cleaning. As this work continues, a restoration company is on-site to assist with the clean-up of the associated dust from the replacement of ceiling tiles and insulation from HVAC repairs.

I will provide an update to families when final building testing results are available after collaboration with our partners, now expected by the afternoon of Tuesday, August 26. We appreciate your continued patience and understanding as we take these steps to provide a safe learning environment.

Sincerely, Rachel Kowalski, Ed.D.SuperintendentSaline Area Schools

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