LM December 2015

Making lemonade (out of mold): Creating a positive narrative in times of inconvenience

became clear that the level of work associated would not be completed prior to our first day of school. We were confident that we could solve the problem to ensure student and staff safety, but the tone at the beginning of the year was most definitely in question. The Mold Issue It became clear that in order to start school on time, we were going to need to displace 350 elementary students for the first weeks of school. How would parents react if they knew that the elementary school failed air quality tests? Should we explain to our community that the building is filled with mold? How can we convince our staff that absorbing our youngest students into the high school and middle school buildings was a good idea? Finally, how do we give back the “first day of school moment” for our Pre-K and kindergarten parents while ensuring their child’s safety and well being in a high school setting? I was tormented by thoughts of a kindergartener walking past a stereotypical group of high school

One of the most stressful times for me as an educator has always been the beginning of school. The first few days of school often set the tone for the remainder of the school year. This was why we became so concerned when we learned that mold in our elementary school would force us to make some tough decisions about the first days of school. July was hot, wet, and generally miserable. We had

By Dr. David M. Mouser Superintendent, Tri-Valley CUSD 3

a large-scale project at our elementary building that involved the replacement of a boiler system and a new roof. Unfortunately, without adequate temperature and humidity control, the perfect conditions emerged for mold growth in the building. Though we had a few weeks to eradicate the issue, it

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