Pender County Schools addresses mold-like growth found at C.F. Pope Elementary

PENDER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — Pender County Schools is addressing areas of possible mold-like growth found in several classrooms at C.F. Pope Elementary School ahead of the start of the new school year.

The growth was found in the kindergarten and preschool area of the school as the campus prepares for Open House on Thursday, Aug. 20, and the first day of school on Monday, Aug. 24.

According to the school district, the growth appears to be a recent condition that developed while the school’s HVAC system was temporarily shut down as part of planned heating and air conditioning improvements.

Other buildings on the C.F. Pope campus were inspected, and the district said no similar growth was found elsewhere.

A professional cleaning team is working to address the affected areas. Carpets in those classrooms have been removed and sent out for cleaning, while the affected spaces have been hand-cleaned.

An outside third-party company is scheduled to conduct indoor air quality testing Tuesday, Aug. 18, following the cleaning. The district expects to receive the results within 24 hours.

The affected classrooms will not be used until the cleaning and testing are complete and the district receives the results.

Pender County Schools said it is still planning to hold C.F. Pope’s Open House on Thursday as scheduled, with the goal of having the affected areas ready before students return.

The district expects to receive the testing results Wednesday and said it will provide an update once the results are available.