Northwestern Lehigh’s new superintendent, Jennifer Holman, has found herself in a “sticky,” well maybe not exactly sticky, but definitely a moldy situation just as classes were scheduled to begin on Aug. 27 for students in the middle school.

Holman initially released an update on the district’s website on Aug. 24.

According to the initial posting, “mold or mildew is appearing on porous and upholstered surfaces, such as chairs, in several classrooms on the lower level of the middle school.”

Her third and latest update was on Aug. 28.

Holman said mold remediation efforts have been ongoing in the lower level of the middle school.

“The process of mold remediation is lengthy and detail oriented,” Holman wrote. “The process includes creating negative air in each room, wiping each item down and cleaning each item with the proper disinfectant, operating an industrial air scrubbing unit with a HEPA filter in each classroom and HEPA filter unit in each wing for a continuous 48-hour period before retesting.”

The new superintendent said there are rooms in the lower level of the school that need further remediation.

“As a result, we will need to relocate classrooms to other buildings within the district in order to begin school while the remediation at Northwestern Lehigh Middle School continues,” Holman wrote.

As of Aug. 29, middle school staff were to begin a transition to other buildings in the district and the middle school would remain closed Aug. 30 as staff and materials were relocated.

According to Holman, the middle school is expected to reopen Sept. 4.

She released the following schedule for middle school students:

·All buses will pick up children at the time and place identified on the Sapphire Parent Portal Account. All transportation arrangements will remain the same as originally scheduled.

·Buses will transport all students to Northwestern Lehigh High School.

·Buses will drop off all students in grades 9-12 as well as, all grade 8 students at the high school.

·Grade 6 and 7 students will transfer onto buses which will transport them to Weisenberg Elementary School.

·All grade 8 students will attend classes taught by their grade 8 teaching team in rooms at the high school until further notice.

· All grade 6 and 7 students will attend classes taught by their respective grade level teams at Weisenberg Elementary School until further notice.

·All lunches will be served in their respective schools.

“Although this schedule is an inconvenience, we believe it is what is in the best interest of students at this time to begin the school year with their teachers in another space while the remediation continues,” Holman wrote. “While I fully understand the inconvenience this causes for you and your family, please know we are focusing on safety to make the best possible decisions for our students and staff. Mr. William Dovico will communicate the specific schedule for each grade in a separate communication.”

Holman noted in her second update that teachers and office staff were being relocated to the high school, so parents should use email addresses as identified on the staff directory or call the district office at 610-298-8661 ext. 1201

She also said the middle school parent information night originally scheduled for Aug. 29 was postponed until a future date can be determined.