Black Mold Shuts Down South Jersey School

Students, teachers to be temporarily sent to other schools

One South Jersey school won’t be opening its doors on the first day of the school year because of a potentially dangerous mold situation.

Leeds Avenue Elementary School in Pleasantville, N.J. has a black mold problem that has forced the school to shut down for the next week or so. And the 600 or so students will be temporarily housed at other schools.

The district seems to be trying to take everything in stride and views this temporary displacement with a positive spin. They posted the following message to their website:

For the safety of our children and staff:

Leeds Avenue School will be closed until the mold remediation project is completed. All staff and students during the next week to two weeks will be the guests of other schools, and we are grateful for our host schools.

We will take this opportunity to enjoy one another and to celebrate the support offered when we encounter the need for it. This experience of caring, sharing and supporting one another will be our theme for opening in addition to Student Development for Leadership, Citizenship, and Scholarship.

We are grateful to our host schools, and, as well to our visitors as both will require adjustment, patience and tolerance.

“It’s disgusting,” said Valerie Stone whose grandkids are set to start kindergarten Tuesday. “It looks dirty.”

Officials agree that the mold is a problem.

“What is a problem is mold in the school,” said Pleasantville District Superintendent Dr. Gloria Grantham. “It’s a problem that needs to be solved -- that’s what we’re doing.”

That doesn’t mean people are happy that the school isn’t ready to go.

“Something of this magnitude should have been addressed immediately,” Stone said.

The district knew about the mold and had an environmental clean-up crew ready July 1 after the school year ended. But, work didn't begin until late August. It was supposed to be finished in time but over the weekend the district learned the mold had spread to other floors and air quality was unsafe.

“If there’s a question it’s, ‘well, why didn’t you go in July 1 -- why didn’t it start until August?’ Well, I’m investigating that part right now,” Grantham said.

“I don’t know how many people are even aware that they’re not going to be able to come into this building tomorrow,” Stone said.

But not every guardian is upset about the temporary move.

“Things happen. We found out. They called. They did the best they could,” said Derrick Jackson whose daughter is about to start fourth grade. “Things happen.”

“They’re still gonna get their education so -- they’re doing a good job. I have no complaints.”

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