Elementary school still not open after mold found inside
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Posted: 4:41 PM Sep 8, 2010
Elementary school still not open after mold found inside
It might be another week before the Augusta superintendent knows more about when the elementary school will open after mold was found inside.
Reporter: Amelia Cerling
Email Address: Amelia.Cerling@ weau.com
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It might be another week before the Augusta superintendent knows more about when the elementary school will open after mold was found inside.

Bill Perry says grades 1 through 5 are in the middle school/high school building. Pre-K, kindergarten, and 4k are using the community building. Ceiling tiles, carpet, computers and other items had to be thrown out after they were ruined by the mold. Perry says there's no word on when crews will be finished cleaning and kids will be able to return to the classrooms.

He says the cleanup has taken longer than expected because of the weather.

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STORY FROM 9/1/10
From ceiling tiles, to carpet, to computers, dumpster loads of items ruined by mold are being tossed out at Augusta’s elementary school.

We went to Augusta Wednesday and looked into how the district is coping with it's mold issues on the first day of school.

Elementary teachers got creative Wednesday, principal Jane Kangas says it's been tough on her teachers having to create welcoming makeshift classrooms with very little resources.

“They know that this is completely out of our hands, and we're just trying to make the best of the situation, so everything is pretty smooth considering all the obstacles we've had to face,” Kangas says.

Obstacles that have included saying goodbye to dumpster loads worth of school items.

“They will actually throw out things that are cloth, wood, things that have a natural porous surface, a lot of the paper, the ceiling tiles, the carpeting, a lot of things are gone and will have to be replaced,” she tells us.

But teachers say they'll carry on, and do their best to give students a good experience, in a less than perfect situation.

“We're just adapting by using things in other ways than we're used to, usually we're used to having all the bookcases and shelves and tables and everything that we need, but this year we're kind of just getting by with the bare minimum and making the best of it,” kindergarten teacher Brooke Behling says.

And many parents say while mold is a scary thing to think about, they're putting their trust in the district.

“Well I guess any time that you hear the word mold it's a little concerning, but we're very confident that the school is taking the necessary precautions,” Jill Horel whose son is entering fourth grade, tells us.

Cleaning crews are still at the elementary school, no word yet on when students and teachers will be allowed back in.

Durand's elementary school also had mold problems a few weeks ago, the district tells us the carpeting has been replaced and students were allowed in for the first day of school.