Black Mold Cleanup Stalls Willowridge High School Reopening

MISSOURI CITY, TX — Students at Willowridge High School in Fort Bend County will be starting the first day of school elsewhere, after school district officials announced Thursday that the removal of black mold inside the school wouldn’t be completed on time.

District officials are expected to make an announcement sometime next week about accommodations for students and staff.

The school, which originally opened in 1979, was undergoing construction upgrades over the summer when crews discovered black mold.

The discovery of the black mold prompted school administrators and teachers to dispose of all materials, such as paper, flooring, sheetrock, carpeting, furniture and other porous materials, KTRK reported.

During the remediation and mold removal process, teacher and administrators were allowed to work Fort Bend’s Thurgood Marshall High School, but space won’t allow students from Willowridge to start classes at that campus.

Willowridge High School Principal Thomas Graham posted a message on the school’s webpage thanking the community for their help:

“I am humbled and blessed by the outpouring of support for our Willowridge High School community. While I know our school and teachers have lost a lot, I am grateful for our district and our support staff who have come alongside the WHS family to replace what has been lost. I could not be more thankful for the way our community and our school district has responded: our parents, students, staff and district leaders are all pulling together to make sure that our students and staff are prepared for the year ahead.”

Meanwhile, the district has established a website dedicated to informing pArents and students of the status of their school.

Officials said remediation crews have been working 24 hours a day, and seven days a week to remove the mold and ensure no areas are missed.

“While we regret the inconvenience this process has caused to the WHS community, FBISD is committed to doing everything possible to ensure the building is safe and ready for a fresh new start to another great year at Willowridge,” Graham said in his statement on the district’s webpage.

Image: FBISD

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