Mold at another New Jersey school forces it to close

UNION TOWNSHIP (Union) — Less than two months into the school year, students in this New Jersey town are dealing with the consequences of growing mold.

Hannah Caldwell Elementary School is closed for cleaning after mold was found, according to district Superintendent Gerry Benaquista.

School officials don't know how long the closure will last. And while it's closed, the district is busing the young students to other local schools. Benaquista said in a letter to parents that remote learning was not an option.

Benaquista said the district would hold a meeting to answer questions from parents.

"I urge you not to be swayed by rumors or speculation," he said.

Around 780 students in pre-K through fourth grade and 46 teachers, according to the most recent National Center for Education Statistics data, which is from the 2022-23 school year. Nearly 240 of those students are preschoolers.

Indoor mold has more of an effect on young children than adults, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

Long-term exposure can cause coughing, wheezing, asthma attacks, and pneumonia. It can even impair cognitive development.

Concerned parents said to ABC 7 Eyewitness News that these mold issues are not a recent development.

A man whose wife teachers at Hannah Caldwell said they showed the school board photos of the mold four years ago, according to the report.

New Jersey 101.5 has reached out to the superintendent for comment.

In Freehold, mold cleanup at Laura Donovan Elementary School delayed the start of the school year. Students are still being bussed to other facilities as work continues.

Last year, Irvington schools were forced to address several problems including mold after being ordered to take care of them by the state Department of Health.

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