May. The fungus was discovered after complaints of respiratory problems were made to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration on April 2, Blevins said. Closing the school was voluntary, he said. OSHA asked only that more testing be done. The announcement came a day after Blevins said the school would be closed next week while more tests were done to determine how many classrooms contained the fungus, called Stachybotrys. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Stachybotrys is a greenish-black mold that can grow on wet wallboard and other building material.
Side effects can include nasal stuffiness, eye irritation or wheezing.
The mold was linked to water damage from a roof leak, Blevins said. The roof was being replaced when the mold was discovered. May 16 will be the last day of school for Forest Middle School pupils, he said. Jefferson Forest students will begin attending classes at the middle school on May 21 and continue to attend classes there until June 8.