Students back in class after mould shut 2 schools

Several hundred P.E.I. students whose schools were closed two weeks ago because of mould were back in class Thursday, although not at their usual schools.

Four hundred students at Spring Park Elementary School in Charlottetown and 200 students at Morell Consolidated in the village of Morell have been transferred temporarily to new schools while the mould problems are addressed.

The Spring Park students were split up among four different Charlottetown schools. Despite some confusion about getting every student to the right classroom, students and parents reported a mostly smooth transition.

"It's just kind of cool, because I hadn't been back in a long time," said Spring Park student Jill Matheson. "[I missed it] a little."

Spring Park's Grade 4 to 6 students were transferred to the top floor of Birchwood Junior High.

"I like the change in that we have lockers," said student Sam Compton. "It's just a little better than our old school."

Teachers who were transferred along with their students said they like Birchwood's big, bright classrooms. Some have even said the air smells cleaner than at Spring Park. They are now working to catch up on eight days of lost instruction.

Terri Bontempo, the acting principal of Spring Park, said she is confident they can fit everything in.

"We'll sit down with the curriculum experts at the Eastern School District and work it out," she said.

Morell Consolidated's Kindergarten to Grade 6 students were transferred to a school that has not been used since June 2009. St. Peter's was closed as part of a downsizing of rural schools but was put back into action this week.

"We explained to our children first that our school needed attention," said Morell teacher Tracey Doran. "Just as we get sick, so does our school, and it's going to get healthy. We set it up as a source of adventure."

Air and mould samples from the two closed schools were tested after staff and students complained of headaches, sinus infections, coughs and eye, nose and throat irritations.

Elm Street School in Summerside has also been closed because of mould while Bluefield High School in central P.E.I. has had to shut down a section of the school because of mould contamination in two classrooms.

It is not clear when the schools will be open again.