Monessen Middle/High School students will start classes remotely

Students in kindergarten through sixth grade will start school on Tuesday in person.

By the MVI

Students in kindergarten through sixth grade in the Monessen School District will return to in-person classes on Tuesday, while older students will begin the school year remotely.

In a statement issued Wednesday, Superintendent Dr. Robert Motte announced grades kindergarten through sixth will return to Monessen Elementary School for in-person instruction.

“Extensive building modifications have been made to ensure the highest safety standards. Any affected problem areas within the facility have been completely contained and sealed off. We have taken every precaution to ensure our building is safe for students and staff,” Motte stated.

Monessen students in grade seventh through 12th will begin the school year with remote instruction for the first few weeks.

“Administration is actively seeking and evaluating suitable local off-site locations to host secondary in-person,” Motte stated.

Motte stated that if a suitable alternative facility is secured, grades 7-12 will “transition to in-person instruction as quickly as possible.”

“If an appropriate location is not available, secondary students will remain in remote learning until our permanent facilities are fully safe and cleared for reentry. The safety and well-being of our school community remain our absolute highest priority. We appreciate your patience, flexibility, and continued partnership as we work through these adjustments,” Motte stated.

The district announced last month that the start of the school year was delayed until Sept. 8 after mold was found in the walls of the middle/ high school.

The fungal growth was discovered on water-damaged areas, including the men’s and women’s restrooms near room H-108, the office women’s room with the adjacent office area and the concession room, which had the most airborne amplification that will require remediation.

The cafeteria and two sampled hallway/common areas immediately outside the isolated area had low airborne mold concentrations. They did not show any signs of amplification at the time of sampling, but that does not mean the area won’t need remediation as well.

Moderate to light amounts of mold growth were recently discovered at Monessen Elementary Center following testing in several areas of the building.

Based on the elementary’s findings, the district is moving forward with professional remediation and corrective work designed to address both the affected materials and the sources of moisture, the release said.