Monessen may start school remotely amid mold remediation at middle-high school

A local school district may have to start the year remotely.

This announcement from Monessen School District Superintendent Dr. Robert Motte comes days after he pushed the start of classes back because mold was found inside the middle-high school building.

In a letter to district families, Motte says resources, like teacher supplies and instruction materials, inside the affected building cannot be accessed.

And, he says while “no final decision has been made,” there’s a “strong possibility” that the school year starts remotely and the district is “preparing for this possibility.”

To support possible remote instruction, the district has purchased additional instructional resources. Access to those resources will be shared once “plans are finalized.”

Motte says the district is also finalizing plans to distribute technology to students and staff.

“I recognize that this situation creates questions and uncertainty for our families,” Motte said. “Please know that the district is working continuously to evaluate our options and make decisions that prioritize the safety, education, and well-being of our students and staff.”

Motte calls the ongoing situation “very fluid” and vows to promptly and transparently communicate information when it becomes available.

The district’s elementary school also underwent an air quality test, the same one that detected mold at the middle-high school, as a proactive measure.

The continued uncertainty is creating challenges for families trying to arrange work schedules and childcare.

“It is a big inconvenience for parents that, you know, they need their kids to go to school because they have to work, and daycare ain’t cheap,” Monessen mother Almond Waters said.

Waters told Channel 11 she removed her 15-year-old son from the district after the last school year.

She said his previous experiences, combined with the district’s latest building concerns, left her questioning whether Monessen was the best place for him.

Channel 11 has also heard concerns about air quality inside the district’s elementary center.

Motte said the district conducted what he described as “proactive air-quality testing” inside that building Wednesday and plans to release the results when they become available.

“I just would rather them go to another school,” Waters said. “I mean, it’s my kids. Their safety means everything to me, their education, and I just think Monessen could do a little bit better.”

The district has not made a final decision about whether students will begin the year remotely.

Motte said additional information will be released once plans are finalized.

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