Mold cleanup to blame

            Upper Perkiomen High School will be closed for the week, beginning Sept. 14, to allow for the proper cleanup of mold and equipment repairs to prevent future problems.

            According to a posting by Superintendent, Dr. Alexis McGloin, on the Upper Perkiomen School District website, some surface mold was first noticed in areas of the high school over the summer break. Soon thereafter, the District employed 1Source Safety and Health Inc. and BELFOR Property Restoration to address those mold and moisture problems.

            The areas of surface mold were cleaned, the air was scrubbed, air filters were proactively replaced, and dehumidifiers were brought in.

            However, the wet weather continued and the system simply couldn't keep up.

            As the environmental conditions remain unchanged, officials felt it was important to have 1Source and BELFOUR look deeper into to root of the moisture problem in the high school.

            They have suggested that significant changes be made to the high school's oldest HVAC system to make it more efficient and take steps to alleviate our moisture problem. They also recommended cleaning the affected areas and ductwork, to ensure that the problem is remediated effectively.

            The oldest section of the high school was opened for students in September of 1968.

            Readers can see the entire text of Dr. McGloin's letter HERE.