The opening of St. Croix’s Alexander Henderson Elementary will be postponed until Tuesday, Sept. 6, so that a final cleanout of the school, which will deal with some last-minute maintenance issues, can be conducted.
According to a release issued Tuesday by the V.I. Education Department, district maintenance crews and contractors have been working throughout the summer to deal with the school’s mold and asbestos problems.
After meeting with faculty Tuesday to provide an update on the work, district maintenance officials joined federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) representatives on a final walk-through of the campus. During that time, department officials were told that while crews were changing various ceiling tiles in the school Tuesday, some fiberglass particles became airborne, causing complaints about itching.
The release also notes that cleaning crews were also working in the school Tuesday, and fumes from the painting, varnishing and floor work additionally created a strong odor throughout the site.
Following a recommendation from OSHA to air out the building a final time, St. Croix Schools Superintendent Gary Molloy said the department has decided be cautious and take the rest of the week to complete the work.
It is hoped that cleaning will be finished by Saturday, which will allow for final site inspections on Sunday and Monday, Molloy said.
District officials will be working with Commissioner LaVerne Terry and administrators at Henderson Elementary to make up the lost days and will be keeping the students, parents and public updated on the developments.
Commissioner Terry stated that she regretted the last-minute postponement of classes at Henderson but thought that it was best to follow OSHA’s recommendations to ensure that students and faculty begin the school year in a safe learning environment.
“We’re ready, but we just need to make sure we’re doing everything we can to address all possible health and safety issues for the students,” Henderson Principal Debra Abel added Tuesday.
