BURLINGTON, N.C. —
For the first time, we were able to see inside an Alamance-Burlington School that's been the focus of toxic mold cleanup.
The school system announced that it will be operating on a 3-hour delay Monday, but crews are still actively working to clear mold from some schools.
Grove Elementary School was one of the schools in the district where toxic mold was found.
Friday, school administrators walked media through the media center and classrooms to get a closer look at what crews had to do in order to make sure the buildings were safe and mold-free.
Since toxic mold was found inside, a lot has been done, including putting dehumidifiers in the hallways.
Grove Elementary Principal, Traci Horton explained, "Ceiling tiles that may have been wet or may have been damaged have been removed. The building is probably as clean as I've ever seen it with desks that have been wiped down, and every object or surface in my building, and all of our buildings have been cleaned."
The district said parents can be reassured that students will be safe.
"That's what this has been all about is making sure that our students are entering safe and healthy learning environments," Les Atkins, ABSS Public Information Officer said.
Even the library was cleaned from top to bottom, preparing for the return of students.
"I don't even have any dust on my library shelves right now, so that's super exciting. That's a day-to-day occurrence here when you live in the library with books, but everything is great. We are fresh, clean and fresh air. Ready for our kids," Librarian, Devlin Popham said.
But the work doesn't stop there for the district.
Atkins said, "We will then go back as a district and look at things. Like bringing in roofing inspectors, bringing in contractors, bringing in a HVAC specialist, actually explore all of our buildings to make sure that this sort of thing does not happen again."
Students are expected back in class on Monday, Sept. 11. Parents have the option of accompanying their students to class on Monday across the district.