Following mold discovery, Columbia Elementary could be closed for a year
Following a discovery of mold in at least six classrooms at Columbia Elementary School, Las Cruces Public Schools officials predict the building could be closed for up to a year.
“Really, once we get into the structural piece of it and working with those design professionals, we’ll have a better idea,” said Deputy Superintendent Gabe Jacquez. “It could be anywhere from a semester to twelve months.”
Nearly 475 students were moved from Columbia Elementary School to Vista Middle School on Thursday when the mold was discovered, Jacquez said. On Friday, those hundreds of students were moved to Centennial High School, which will their permanent location during the mold issue.
Following a successful bond election last year, the district has already allocated $4 million to necessary repairs at Columbia Elementary School. ABC-7 has reported extensively on the serious structural problems and cracks in the foundation of that school.
“It was a little bit rough, but everybody jumped on board and helped,” Jacquez said. “We’ve actually had individual schools from the district adopt classrooms, so they’ve collected materials and supplies for that classroom.”
Initially, the students and teachers had to leave all their supplies behind. However, they recently received air quality samples which indicated it is safe to bring back some books and materials, Jacquez said.
“Friday was a little tough because they had limited materials, but today they got what they need,” he said.
The mold is growing between the exterior and interior walls. Jacquez could not confirm how many students were exposed.
“That’s a tough question,” he said. “We don’t know. As soon as we heard about it, we got everybody out there.”
Bus route info:
Normal bus routes are in effect for Columbia Elementary School students, district officials confirmed. LCPS has a map for parents who wish to pick up and drop off their students at Centennial High School. A spokesman also said parents are welcome to drop off their students at Vista Middle School to take the shuttle to Centennial.
