Air Testing Deems Most Of Oxford School Safe, 2 Rooms Closed For Mold Cleanup

OXFORD, CT — School officials say most air quality readings at Quaker Farms School are within acceptable limits, but two rooms will remain offline after mold was detected during a recent inspection.

In a letter dated Feb. 27, Board of Education Chairman Mike Koosa and Superintendent Ralph Marino Jr. said an air quality review conducted Feb. 22 found the building “fit for occupancy,” with the exception of the computer lab and Room 320.

Air Quality Report Finds Two Rooms With Mold

According to the report from EnviroMed Services, the computer lab showed evidence of Chaetomium mold, while Room 320 showed evidence of Aspergillus/Penicillium. Officials said those rooms will not be used until remediation is complete.

The district plans to hire a professional remediation contractor to clean all cleanable, non-porous surfaces with a disinfecting agent and install a HEPA-filtered air filtration system to remove airborne spores. After the work is complete, a follow-up microbial assessment will be conducted by a professional industrial hygienist to verify the effectiveness of the cleaning, the letter states.

Officials said no other areas tested showed evidence of airborne mold or mold amplification. All classrooms, office spaces and hallways were included in the testing.

Other Readings Well Below Limits, Officials Say

Carbon monoxide readings inside the school ranged from 0.0 to 0.0 parts per million at the time of inspection, well below the OSHA permissible exposure limit of 50 ppm over an eight-hour average, according to the report.

Carbon dioxide levels ranged from 353 to 466 ppm indoors, compared with 340 ppm outdoors. The difference between the highest indoor and outdoor readings was 126 ppm, below the 707 ppm threshold referenced under ASHRAE ventilation standards. Officials also noted those levels were well below OSHA’s 5,000 ppm exposure limit.

The average indoor PM10 concentration measured 2.7 micrograms per cubic meter, with a maximum of 4.4 μg/m3. While there is no specific EPA guideline for PM10, some experts recommend levels of 10 μg/m3 or lower. Oxygen levels ranged from 21.3 to 21.6 percent, within OSHA respiratory standards, the report states.

The District Says It Will Continue Monitoring Closely

Officials said regular HVAC maintenance will continue per manufacturer recommendations, along with weekly, real-time indoor air quality monitoring until the system is fully functional. EnviroMed is scheduled to return March 2 and March 9.

Sprinkler System Fully Repaired

In a separate update, officials said repairs to the school’s fire sprinkler system were completed Feb. 24. The system is fully operational and a fire watch is no longer required. Preventative maintenance will continue, including replacement of older sprinkler heads.

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Quaker Farms School, which experienced six additional closed days, will have its final day on Wednesday, June 24. School officials said additional updates on end-of-year plans, including the high school graduation date, will be shared later this spring.