Loudoun County Public Schools says an area of mold found in ceiling tiles of classrooms at Ashburn Elementary School has prompted an ongoing inspection of all 30 classrooms inside the Virginia school.
“Very limited areas of additional mold growth were identified above the ceiling and in some wooden casings surrounding the pipes,” school spokesman Wayde Byard told WTOP.
“The cause of the moisture was found to be wet pipe insulation due to condensation.”
Byard said the safety and well-being of students, staff members and their families is the school system’s highest priority.
”LCPS is inspecting and replacing similar pipe insulation in the ceiling of all 30 classroom within the school, and cleaning any other areas identified,” Byard said.
The school was built in 1992.
A small number of staff members worked inside Ashburn Elementary Tuesday. No students are currently inside the school, as the system has started the fall semester with distance learning.
Although WTOP had been seeking confirmation of the discovery of mold at the school since Sunday, the school system acknowledged the mold concerns Tuesday, when several blue county crew vehicles were outside the building, as renovation and inspections continued inside.
“LCPS administrators are working with the school administration to locate alternative workspaces in the building for the limited number of staff members who are presently working on campus while teaching students remotely,” Byard said.
Byard said the inspections and renovation work is expected to be completed within three weeks.
