Monessen School District delays start of school year after discovering "abnormalities" in building walls

The Monessen School District has delayed the start of the school year until Tuesday, Sept. 8, as a precautionary measure while it completes what it calls "necessary building maintenance."

Earlier this week, the district said it discovered "abnormalities" behind walls in several parts of the middle-high school building while performing routine summer maintenance, prompting air quality testing throughout the entire school.

The abnormalities were first discovered near the gym, then behind walls in several restrooms. Work was immediately stopped, the affected areas were secured and sealed off and administrators were notified.

The district on Saturday also released its findings into what the aforementioned air quality tests discovered.

The tests "confirmed fungal growth on sampled water-damaged building materials" in the men's and women's restrooms near room H-108, the office women's room, the adjacent office area and the concession room.

"The concession room exhibited the most significant airborne amplification. The other affected areas contained lower total concentrations but showed water-damage-associated fungal profiles indicative of indoor sources," the district said on social media.

The cafeteria and two nearby hallways and common areas had low levels of airborne mold when they were tested, with no evidence that mold was actively spreading into those spaces. Investigators said the existing isolation measures around the affected areas appeared to be limiting the spread of mold, but those results do not mean cleanup can be avoided.

The report also said some water-damaged materials cannot be adequately cleaned and will need to be removed.

"This delay is being implemented to ... ensure a safe, fully prepared environment for our students and staff," a district statement read. "Additional information will be shared in the coming days on our website and parent communication channels."