FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP, N.J. — Students at Laura Donovan Elementary School in Freehold Township will start the school year in different classrooms after mold was discovered throughout their school building, according to district officials.
In an email to parents, Superintendent Neal Dickstein announced that students would be relocated to other elementary schools within the Freehold Township School District. The mold issue was identified in July, and despite ongoing efforts by a remediation company working “seven days per week,” the problem could not be resolved in time for the start of the school year on September 5.
“While we know this is disappointing for our Donovan families, the goals remain to keep students safe and to minimize disruption to the schedules of our families,” Dickstein stated in a message to WNYC.
Students will be distributed across various schools but will continue to be taught by their Laura Donovan Elementary School teachers. The district is offering bus transportation to the temporary locations.
The timeline for when students can return to Laura Donovan Elementary remains unclear as remediation efforts continue.