NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Brayton Elementary School has been dealing with mold and mildew in more than one classroom.

 

Superintendent Barbara Malkas had explained during a tour of the school last Thursday as part of a Greylock project forum that mold was found in one classroom over the summer and how it was mitigated. On Tuesday, she told the School Committee that mildew had also been discovered in another first-floor room earlier in the month.

 

"When our teachers, who are here tonight, our [occupational therapists] and [physical therapists], came in, there was mildew covering several pieces of equipment and other items that they use in their practice," she said.

 

The space was one of two rooms used for music that have no windows. It had more recently been used as storage but reassigned for therapists to use when the school switched to house Grades prekindergarten through 2. 

 

Malkas said she was notified on Aug. 9 and alerted the facilities department. Cleanup was put on the priority list and everything was wiped down with bleach last week. 

 

"That room had the same treatment in terms of the mildew resistant paint and having the rugs that are there, it's a carpeted room, shampooed," the superintendent said as the rest of the first floor. 

 

The room with the mold had been mitigated some five years ago as well, used for storage and more recently for special education and the Steeples program. 

 

"Everything had to be taken out of the room. Everything had to be disinfected, then a mildew resistant paint had to be used and the carpeting removed from the floor in order to put in tiling," she said. "That got us to to an air quality that was acceptable, and we've not had an issue with mold since then."

 

There's concern about the carpeting in the former choral room and Malkas said she is getting a price on having that removed and the room tiled, too.

 

Parents were notified that "due to intense heat and humidity this past summer, we've seen an increase in mildew, especially in one classroom that lacks windows" and that an "aggressive" remediation plan was in place. 

 

The problems lie largely in the first floor being subterranean with few or no windows in the classrooms. Dehumidifiers have been brought in and the air handlers opened up to increase fresh airflow by 75 percent. 

 

"So we know the current problem that's going to require constant mitigation," the superintendent said. 

 

"What we don't have the capacity to do is to address some of the infrastructure issues of the building, which is mainly the HVAC, the electrical system, the fact that there's a need for a roof here as well, there's concrete spalling here as well, and so we will do everything within our power to make that room accessible and usable by our staff."

 

If the mildew persists, space will have to be found for the programming elsewhere or move forward with changing the carpet during the school year. The therapists have been "good advocates for their students" and "incredibly patient" while the mitigation was happening. 

 

"I think because of their flexibility and adaptability, it's worth us doing it now so that we can create a better learning environment for our students," Malkas said.

 

In response to questions, she hoped to get a rough estimate as soon as Wednesday and then determine if funding is available.

 

Committee member David Sookey noted that Wahconah Regional High School was dealing with mold as well.

 

"So even a new build with the best of the best of the best is having something like this ... I think it's just an ongoing situation with climate change and the topography of the area," he said. "I want to make sure that that's clarified out there that we're dealing with this head on with what we have and what we know." 

 

Vice Chair Richard Alcombright asked if testing is continuing. Malkas said it would be an added cost that would have to be brought forward to the School Committee. 

 

"Last week, when we were touring the building, and I have to, you know, be very honest here, that was one classroom I didn't open the door," Malkas said. "I didn't I didn't even think of it because I knew about the old mitigation in the other room, so I wanted to make sure people heard about that. ...

 

"We really weren't aware that it would be as much of an issue as it has become."