Harlan Kirgan
Mold removal at Eunice Junior High School is expected to be completed by end of this week and classes may reopen by Wednesday.
Classes continued with virtual instruction.
Claudia Blanchard, director of operations, said at a St. Landry Parish School Board Buildings, Lands and Sites Committee meeting Tuesday that the cleaning has been a lengthy and detailed process.
“We have since then taken additional air samples to confirm where we are. I’m very happy to say we just got the results back this afternoon and it came out very, very well,” she said.
“We do feel that we are at the point where it is safe to reenter the building,” she said.
Blanchard said testing would continue this week.
“There are things we are going to have to address that can be done after hours, on weekends, times when we wouldn’t be disturbing instruction,” she said.
Philippe Prouet, of Poché, Prouet Associates, said the mold remediation began Oct. 7.
“The whole thing with a teacher called with a concern about something in her classroom,” he said.
The mold was found on the sides of desks and under them, he said.
It was decided to clean a 15-classroom building, he said.
Blake Douet, also of Poché, Prouet Associates, said the cleaning job has been “pretty intense.”
The mold issue is still being investigated as to what is causing the issue, he said.
Greg Ortego, of Star Service, said mold growth is aided by humidity, which was increased by multiple power outages and the COVID shutdown.
What led up to the mold growth escalating is when the building is not occupied the air conditioning system is used less, which means the moisture builds.
Ortego said the air conditioner control has been changed to provide more runtime.
Douet said there is always a mold issue in buildings in south Louisiana.
Douet said, “Keep in mind you will never have scenario where you have zero mold. It will always be there.”
There are about a dozen dehumidifiers running in the building, he said.
The air quality will be monitored over the several months, he added.
The remediation has so far cost $21,000, but a final cost is not available, Blanchard said. The issue was treated as an emergency.