Obama Elementary closure extends into next week
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Barack Obama Elementary students won't be back in school until next week at the earliest, as crews continue to treat the building for mold.
Why it matters: The closure is costing roughly 285 students at least the first full week of the school year, leaving families scrambling for child care and alternatives.
Catch up quick: Classes were originally slated to begin at Obama on Monday, along with the rest of Richmond Public Schools.
- After mold and rodents were found in the building last week, officials pushed the start to Tuesday.
- The district delayed it again Monday after teachers returned and found mold on laptops and music equipment.
- RPS officials blamed the mold on a rainy summer and faulty HVAC system, The Richmonder reported.
The latest: The "plan is to return to Obama as soon as it is safe to do so," RPS superintendent Jason Kamras wrote in one of his twice-daily cleanup updates.
- RPS expanded the cleanup from targeted mold remediation to crews working from 5am until late into the night to treat every room in the century-old building, per Kamras' Wednesday morning update.
- RPS expected to finish the top floor and about half of the middle floor Wednesday. Independent air quality testing has begun in cleaned areas.
- And officials said Wednesday that all student laptops will be replaced after mold was found on some devices.
Meanwhile, RPS said yesterday it's investigating the possibility of mold at two other elementary schools — in one closet at McClenney and in closets in "several classrooms" at Bellevue.
- Affected classrooms have been sealed and testing is underway, per RPS.
State of play: Back at Obama, families have some alternatives while they wait for the all-clear.
- Students can attend an Educare program led by Obama teachers at Pine Camp Community Center on Thursday and Friday.
- And families can apply to temporarily or permanently transfer to two other Northside elementary schools — McClenney and Overby-Sheppard. It's unclear if the potential mold at McClenney will affect its availability.
- Seats are limited and vary by grade. Placement will be determined by a lottery and students would start Monday.
Plus: The school's parent-teacher organization launched a fundraising drive mid-week to help replace damaged classroom equipment and supplies, raising more than $11,000 as of press time.
What they're saying: At a Monday town hall, Obama families voiced frustration over the mold, lost school time and unexpected child care burden, per The Richmonder.
What we're watching: For air quality test results, hopefully good ones and soon.