Hardyston Elementary closed due to mold

Until further notice, Hardyston Elementary School will be closed after mold was found to be present in the building, the district announced over the holiday weekend.

“Air quality and mold testing was conducted at the elementary school,” Hardyston Township Schools Superintendent Jarlyn Veras said in a letter to the school community. “Results concluded that airborne mold spores were present in two office spaces at the school. In response to these findings, the district immediately scheduled an extensive remediation process of the entire school to ensure all spaces were safe for students and staff. During the remediation process, mold was found in various locations throughout the building.”

Veras said testing was conducted in late August following reports of an odor and humidity in the two office spaces. The elementary school and middle school were closed Tuesday, Sept. 8.

“This will provide time to properly plan next steps,” she said. “Based on the extent of the work that may be required, we anticipate that students and staff may need to remain out of the elementary school building for several weeks.”

Students went back to school after summer break on Thursday, Sept. 3. At press time, it was unknown if anyone had become ill because of mold exposure.

“The most feasible and timely alternative is to relocate our elementary school students and staff to the middle school” said Veras, who added the district did not plan to transition to virtual or remote learning. “Although this is not an ideal situation, by utilizing all available space at the middle school, we may be able to provide our pre-K–4 students with in-person learning in a safe environment.”

“The initial remediation is being conducted by Mold Men,” Veras said via email in response to a series of questions from Straus News about the matter. “We are in communication with our insurance to navigate costs and expenses. The remediators believe the mold is recent and the result of a combination of environmental factors.”