Meridian students to attend classes in shifts because of mold

MOUNDS, Ill. -- Meridian students will get plenty of practice taking turns when school starts next week.

Meridian Elementary School closed in May after an administrator discovered a potentially dangerous strain of mold in the 33-year-old building.

When school starts Tuesday, all of the district's 575 students will attend classes in shifts at Meridian High School, interim superintendent Terry Moreland said Wednesday.

"It's going to be challenging," Moreland said.

Teachers aren't required to report to school until Monday, but Moreland said many already are in the building, sorting out logistical issues and trying to make the best of a difficult situation.

The Meridian school board will meet Tuesday night to discuss options for the future, Moreland said.

The board will look at short-term solutions, including moving items out of the elementary building and bringing in portable classrooms, he said.

It also will consider its long-term options, which include cleaning the existing building or constructing a new addition to the high school, Moreland said.

"Everything's on the table until it's off," he said.

Moreland did not have an estimate on what any of those options will cost, but he said several groups have made donations totaling more than $3,000 to help cover some of the expenses as the district deals with the unexpected problem.

"I think everybody's concerned. We're concerned. It's been hard on everybody," Moreland said. "I think the unknown is more of an issue than anything."

Principal Brent Boren discovered the mold in May, when he found some discolored paint chips, suspected mold and sent them off for testing.

So far, neither the district nor the local health department has received reports of any illnesses stemming from the mold, officials from both entities have said.

While most of the mold was contained inside walls, it could become airborne as those walls deteriorate, creating a health hazard in the future, Boren said last month.

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