Monterey High School will remain closed through Wednesday as crews clean and test for microbial growth; officials hope to reopen at least two buildings by midweek.
MONTEREY, La. — Monterey High School students will not return to school at least until midweek next week as cleaning and testing for mold spores continues throughout the school.
In an update provided at Thursday’s school board meeting, officials said at least two of the buildings should be operational by mid-week next week.
Concordia School Superintendent Toyua Bachus said that at least two of the buildings would need to be operational again before classroom learning can resume.
Officials are still determining the best path forward, including the placement of students and making up the lost instructional time.
Superior Contract Cleaning, based in Lafayette, was tapped to clean and remediate any possible mold areas, while Ritter Consulting Engineers, an environmental agency also based in Lafayette, is testing air quality and surface areas for microbials before and after cleaning.
Bachus released a statement on Friday about those test results.
“Nearly all of the air samples returned results that are near or equal to our outside breathing environment, which is good and expected,” she said. “Several surface areas within the building were also tested. Although not affecting air quality, the surface tests indicated the presence of microbials. It is important to note that microbial growth does not mean there is mold in the buildings. Nor did such microbials appear to be affecting air quality.
“Nevertheless, the School Board, out of an abundance of caution, has proceeded to clean all areas in all buildings at Monterey where any sign of microbial growth was detected or observed. The School Board’s extensive cleaning and remedial operations are still underway.”
Remediation efforts are actively underway and, so far, have included:
“As an additional precaution, the A/C units in the upper building have also been removed so that any potential areas of concern could be identified and thoroughly inspected,” Bachus said. “Areas identified there have also been tested once work is completed to ensure a safe environment for students and staff.
"We are hopeful that a minimum of two of our buildings will be cleared and released back to us for use midweek. We will know for sure on Tuesday and will update all parties. As of today, we will extend our school closure for Monday-Wednesday of next week and update all parties on Wednesday at 1:30.”
Bachus previously said instructional time could be made up with schedule adjustments that would not require adjusting the school calendar or lengthening the school days. Whether that remains the case will depend on how soon classroom learning can begin.
Bachus also apologized for any inconvenience to students, employees and families.
“We understand the inconvenience this situation creates for our students, families, and employees. However, we believe it is important to allow the testing and remediation process to be completed before making decisions about returning students and staff to these spaces,” she said. “We will continue to provide updates as information becomes available. As always, thank you for your patience, flexibility, and all that you do to support our students and school community.”