Mold issue forces closure of East Pennsboro High School for at least 3 more weeks

Jul 18, 2023

East Pennsboro High School

East Pennsboro Area High School will remain closed for at least an additional three weeks as the school district works to remediate a mold problem discovered in the school this week. Classes were cancelled across the district as similar issues also were discovered in other East Pennsboro schools. The other schools could open this week.

(File photo, 2008)

East Pennsboro Area High School will remain closed for at least an additional three weeks so workers can complete pipe installation work after mold was discovered in the building this week.

The district's other schools that also closed due to mold/poor air-quality issues could reopen Tuesday and Wednesday if air quality tests return normal results, East Pennsboro Superintendent Jay Burkhart said.

The middle school will remain closed until at least Wednesday to allow for the removal of mold spores found in the building, Burkhart said in a statement posted to the district's website.

The district must perform more work on the middle school's air handling units on the roof to ensure the spores are properly removed.

Officials hope West Creek Hills Elementary School will reopen Tuesday, as mold remediation in the building should be completed this weekend. East Pennsboro Elementary School would reopen when West Creek reopens.

Officials are working with the Pennsylvania Department of Education to develop an alternative schedule for high school and middle school students. Administrators will speak with PDE officials at 10:30 a.m. Monday.

If PDE approves an alternate schedule, the district will hold a public informational meeting at Eisenhower Elementary School, 340 N. 21st St., Camp Hill from 6-8 p.m. Monday.

The district has lost several instructional days that must be made up. Administrators will propose the following makeup days to the school board for approval: Sept. 2, Oct. 10. and Nov. 10. The public will be made aware of additional make up days as they are scheduled, Burkhart said.

The air quality issue was discovered after recent humid weather caused chilled air-conditioning pipes in the high school to sweat during the past two weeks, Burkart told about 400 people during a public meeting Wednesday night.

The water soaked through the pipe's insulation and caused mold to grow on the paper that covered the insulation and the ceiling tiles below.

Samples from the high school were collected Friday to determine whether mold or dirt was present. After the district received the results early Tuesday, officials closed the high school, and East Pennsboro Elementary School, where a similar issued was discovered.

Classes were canceled districtwide the next day.

Burkhart said he would continue providing updates on the situation as he receives them.

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