Mold at Eastern York Middle School delays all district students' start of school year

York Daily Record

Mold discovered earlier this week at Eastern York Middle School will delay the start of school for all students in the district, according to a letter to parents and guardians posted on the district website and various social media platforms on Friday afternoon.

The mold was identified late Monday morning, the letter signed by superintendent Joseph Mancuso III stated, and Paul Davis Restoration was contracted to rectify the issue.

A sign outside the middle school on Friday afternoon still proclaimed students will begin the school year on Aug. 22, but the letter says that the start of school for all students will be delayed until Monday, Aug. 27.

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The middle school, meanwhile, will remain closed at least three weeks and a maximum of six weeks while crews work to remove mold, re-insulate pipes and prepare the building to be safe for students and faculty. Faculty working in preparation of the upcoming school year were directed to leave the building on Monday, the letter states.

Eastern York Middle School will remain closed for a minimum of three weeks while contractors work to remove mold from the building.

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Paul Davis Restoration units were on site at Eastern York Middle School on Friday, Aug. 17. The school district said in a letter to parents that the company was contacted on Monday, Aug. 13, after mold was discovered in the lower level of the middle school. The start of school is being delayed for students until Aug. 27, and the middle school could remain closed for as many as six weeks while crews remove mold. Middle school students will attend classes in other schools within the district.

Middle school students will still attend classes, though Grade 6 students will attend Canadochly Elementary School, Grade 7 students will attend Wrightsville Elementary, and the Grade 8 students will take their classes at the neighboring high school.

"I apologize for the short notice," Mancuso wrote," but we have confirmed the need to delay the start of the school year in order to allow the district to bring in professionals to clean the building and ventilation systems prior to accepting staff and students."

Workers on scene at Eastern York Middle School on Friday afternoon said all school administrative staff was off on Friday.

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As of Friday, Aug. 17, the sign outside of Eastern York Middle School indicated school will start Aug. 22. However, the school district announced on Friday that students will now start Aug. 27 after mold was found at the middle school.

Calls and emails left earlier this week to various school district and middle school administrators, including Mancuso, were not returned.

High humidity and record rainfall this summer created conditions conducive to mold growth, representatives from Paul Davis Restoration said, according to Mancuso's letter.

Other schools in the area have also been forced to deal with mold issues.

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You can read Mancuso's entire letter here.

Eastern York School District announced on Friday, Aug. 17, that the start of its school year for all students will be delayed until Monday, Aug. 27, due to mold at the middle school.