Lutsel K'e Dene School to reopen after mould discovery, says government email

Lutsel K'e Dene School, evacuated earlier this month due to mould, will be open"no later than Tues October 11."

That's according to an email circulated to the community on Monday from theterritorial government's assistant deputy minister ofeducation and culture, Rita Mueller.

"Two air samples taken inside of the school showed a significant reduction [in] the spore counts," writes Mueller.

"The result of the final site inspection is a 'PASS,'and based on the analytical results, the remediation and subsequent enclosure cleaning was a huge success."

No portables, despite community's request

Close to 40 elementary school students had to leave Lutsel K'e Dene School on Thursday,Sept. 8, after mould was discovered by construction crews doing renovations.

• School in Lutselk'e, N.W.T., evacuated due to mould

• Lutsel K'e Dene School renovation will restore library, brighten classrooms

Since that time, students have been attending class in different buildings across the community.

Elementary students are being housed in Aurora College, as well as the community's arena.

High school students are continuing to attend classes at the Denesuline building as well at the old Aurora College building, where they had already been placed because of the renovations.

The same day the email was sent, the community held an emergency meeting to discuss the fate of its displaced students.

• Lutsel K'e, N.W.T. calls emergency meeting over displaced students

Some community members have been lobbying the territorial governmentto bring up modular classrooms, so students can attend school in one place.

But it doesn't look like that's in the cards.

Mueller's email stated "there will be no need to bring in outside portables into the community because all K-12 students will be able to be accommodated between the Community Learning Centre and the school space."

Stephanie Poole, a parent and a member of the local district education authority, says that solution is not going to sit well with the community.

She says people are worried the mould could cause future health problems, and they want the modular classrooms regardless.

More mouldsamplingrecommended

According to the email, there are still a number of things that need to be done to ensure acceptable indoor air quality in the section ofthe school that's not under construction.

This includes, among other things, sealing the crawl spaces off from the school, replacing filters on "air handling units" and dealing with "the minor mould growth observed around the east corridor entry vestibule."

"After these recommendations are implemented the school can be occupied on the non-construction side," writes Mueller.

Although sherecommended thatairborne mould sampling continuesatthe school after it reopens.