Air quality problems prompt Dallas district to move middle school students
Poor air quality at Sarah Zumwalt Middle School in Dallas has persuaded the district to move students to a new campus after winter break.
The district says in a news release that students and staff will resume classes in January at A. Maceo Smith New Tech High School, about a mile east of Zumwalt.
"The district has identified a number of infrastructure factors that need to be addressed at Zumwalt, including high humidity caused by ground water, and a heating and ventilation system which needs to be replaced," the news release states. "To correct these issues, we anticipate accelerating the $5.8 million renovation work scheduled for Zumwalt under the 2015 Bond Program."
The repairs at Zumwalt are expected to take about a year.
WFAA-TV reports that the district's decision comes about nine months after mold was discovered in classrooms at Zumwalt.
The station reported in February that students and staff had to be relocated from several classrooms while crews dealt with mold in several classrooms and the principal’s office. Earlier this month, WFAA-TV obtained recent photos showing what appears to be mold on walls and doorjambs of the school.
About the Author
Mike Kennedy
Senior Editor
Mike Kennedy has been writing about education for American School & University since 1999. He also has reported on schools and other topics for The Chicago Tribune, The Kansas City Star, The Kansas City Times and City News Bureau of Chicago. He is a graduate of Michigan State University.
