Saline delays Middle School’s First day

With two days before the start of the school year, Saline Area Schools made an emergency announcement to the school district community about the first day for Saline Middle School.

On Aug. 22, Saline Area Schools (SAS) notified families of Saline Middle School students that the start of the school year would be delayed.

In a message to families, Saline Superintendent Dr. Rachel Kowalski said:

“At Saline Area Schools, the health, safety, and well-being of our students and staff is our highest priority.

“While welcoming teachers back to our buildings earlier this week, we were made aware of several classrooms that were impacted by high humidity levels, which likely began while the building was largely unoccupied and under construction this summer. We have installed industrial dehumidifiers and air scrubbers in many rooms while making repairs and adjustments to our HVAC systems. 

“Out of an abundance of caution, we also began working immediately with professionals who provided guidance on mold testing and remediation. A very limited number of spaces tested positive for a type of mold that needs to be remediated. To allow professional teams to perform the work as quickly as possible, we have closed the Middle School until further notice.”

Kowalski further said, “Because of this work, the start of the school year at Saline Middle School has been rescheduled. The first day of school is now anticipated to be Tuesday, August 26. Please note that this date may still be adjusted if further testing requires additional action, and we will communicate an update to families on Monday based on additional testing results. Please note that the work at Saline Middle School does NOT impact other buildings in the district, which will begin the year as scheduled on Monday, August 25.”  

She said contractors are working with several school districts in the area experiencing similar challenges, which the school district expects were exacerbated by the high humidity this summer.

“The high demand on contractors supporting many schools dealing with similar challenges and timelines has impacted our timeline and could create additional delays,” Kowalski said.

She ended her message by saying, “We are committed to providing updates to families and staff as testing and remediation continue, and appreciate your patience and understanding as we take these steps to provide a safe learning environment.”