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PLYMOUTH — Wyoming Valley West School Board members believe the district’s middle school, which was closed for a mold problem last month, will re-open by Thanksgiving.

Joseph Cocciardi, of Cocciardi & Associates Inc., a health consultant working with the district, presented an overview of the district site cleaning and mold remediation plan Tuesday night during a special meeting at the high school, where middle school students have been attending classes on a split-schedule with high school students since the closure.

Cocciardi, who will be overseeing the project, said he had reviewed air quality monitoring results done by the district with his staff.

The goal of site treatment, he said, was to bring airborne mold levels inside the building lower than airborne mold levels outside the building.

“There’s mold naturally around us in our environment,” he said. “It becomes a problem when people are negatively affected by it.”

Cocciardi and district officials fielded questions from parents on several mold-related issues.

When Cocciardi was pressed for specifics about test results on airborne mold levels at the school by parent Scott Lewis, district Solicitor Charles Coslett drew Cocciardi aside before he had a chance to answer.

Although Cocciardi then retook the podium and assured attendees that basic information would be released, Coslett said some specific information about testing results would be withheld because of possible litigation.

Justin Heffner, parent of a seventh grader, asked what had originally caused water — the primary source of mold — to enter the building.

Coslett said the district didn’t know the cause.

Cocciardi said his firm had not identified the source of water, but would continue to monitor the building for the source of any water.

“If the roof is leaking, you’re not going to see that on a sunny day,” he said.

He also said he could not identify when the water entered the building or when the mold started to grow.

“Unfortunately, we don’t have any definitive way to know that,” he said. “If a teacher or someone is sure that there was no mold in a certain place on a certain date, we can use the information to understand when and where the mold started.”

The next step of the process is to hire a contractor to come in and fix the problem, and it is anticipated the school board will do so at Wednesday night’s meeting.

Coslett said that after reviewing about 10 contractors, it was all but a “done deal,” that the district would be retaining Datom Environmental Cleanup Services from Dunmore to do mold remediation, which the CDC defines as “the removal, cleaning, sanitizing, demolition, or other treatment, including preventive activities, of mold or mold-contaminated matter.”

Coslett said he believed that Datom would provide the best services to the district.

Cocciardi said that mold behind walls — or in other areas in which it was not likely to become airborne — would not need to be treated.

“At my house, there are pine trees outside my window with deep green mold growing on it,” he said. “Even though it’s 6 inches away from my head, it doesn’t affect because there is a wall between me and it. Its the same concept with the school building.”

Although Cocciardi said there was no mandate to continue testing after the building was cleaned, Superintendent Irvin Deremer said he anticipated that the district would continue testing the building every semester. He stressed the district is committed to educating its students in a safe, clean environment.

Deremer said the district would need to schedule at least 900 hours of instruction during the school year in order for the students to complete their grade, and he said he was confident the district would meet that goal.

He encouraged parents whose children might be struggling because of the challenges of their changing schedule to contact teaches, guidance counselor and, if necessary, the administration for assistance.

Health consultant Joseph Cocciardi, of Cocciardi & Associates Inc., speaks with parents about the mold problem at the Wyoming Valley West middle school during a special school board meeting Tuesday night.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/web1_moldwvw-2.jpg.optimal.jpgHealth consultant Joseph Cocciardi, of Cocciardi & Associates Inc., speaks with parents about the mold problem at the Wyoming Valley West middle school during a special school board meeting Tuesday night. Pete G. Wilcox | Times Leader

Wyoming Valley West Middle School is closed because of a mold problem.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/web1_Wyoming-Valley-West-Middle-School-4.jpg.optimal.jpgWyoming Valley West Middle School is closed because of a mold problem. Pete G. Wilcox | Times Leader

By Geri Gibbons

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Reach Geri Gibbons at 570-991-6117 or on Twitter @TLGGibbons.