Additional mold discovered at Riverhead Middle School
After mold and mildew were found at Aquebogue Elementary School earlier this week, similar conditions were reported at Riverhead Middle School Thursday.
“Early this morning, during a building inspection by our maintenance crews, mold was discovered on the underside of a handful of tables in the cafeteria. Upon discovery, our facilities crew took immediate action to eradicate the issue,” Superintendent Dr. Aurelia Henriquez wrote in a message online Thursday.
Dr. Henriquez said that Virex II 256, the same disinfectant used at Aquebogue, was used at the middle school.
“Lunch service was not impacted,” she said.
Persistent humidity is to blame for the outbreak, officials said.
She said that due to continued humidity, “early morning visual inspections of each building” will be conducted. The district’s facilities department is working to clean surfaces properly.
Mildew odors and a “minor” amount of mold were reported at Aquebogue Elementary School over the long weekend, which necessitated the replacement of some ceiling tiles at the K-4 school, district officials said.
Ed McGuire of JC Broderick & Associates, the district’s environmental consulting firm, shared information on the issue during a Board of Education meeting Wednesday evening.
“It’s not just a mold problem, it’s a moisture problem,” Mr. McGuire said, adding that it was an environmental issue that requires careful maintenance by the custodial staff.
He said the firm was battling mold issues in two dozen school buildings across Long Island.
“This August and September have been unusually hot and humid for a prolonged period of time,” he said. “It just hasn’t given up.”
Test results, the superintendent said, showed “no cause for concern” at either of the school buildings.
