Montevallo Elementary reopens after renovations and clean up | News

MONTEVALLO, AL (WBRC)- A Shelby County school that has been fighting an ongoing mold issue will reopen for classes Thursday.

Montevallo Elementary teachers returned to the school today and students will start again Thursday after the building was shut down Dec. 12. The school has been cleaning up mold for several months and has employed two seperate companies to do so.

In mid-December after roughly 70 parents pulled and kept their children out of school and an environmental clean up company reported trace amounts of mold still in the school, Superintendent Randy Fuller made the decision to close the school early.

School officials say during the last three weeks, they've brought in two separate air quality companies to conduct tests. This was a major request some parents had: to have a second company address the issue. Officials say both companies have now come back with clean reports but not everyone is convinced.

"I think they've patched up what can be seen. I think they've done what to the naked, unknowing eye needed to be done," parent Dollie Howland said. "But who's been held accountable for the neglect this school has endured for many years? No one."

A spokeswoman for the school system says that workers have also completed major renovation projects including repainting, stripping and waxing floors, and replacing water fountains and lights throughout the building.

Another major renovation has been completed in the school's fifth grade wing. Workers installed new drains and waterproofed and sealed the walls.

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