SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Del Sur Elementary students and staff will not return to campus until January 2027 after mold was discovered at the school, the School District announced.
The update comes after the district had been targeting Sept. 21 as a potential return date.
Following an 11-day delay to the start of the school year, Del Sur students began classes on a shared campus with Stone Ranch Elementary after mold was found at their school.
More than 900 Del Sur students were relocated to Stone Ranch Elementary, bringing the combined campus population to about 1,500 students.
The district issued the following statement:
This timeline reflects the full sequence of work required: sourcing specialized materials and equipment; completing necessary modifications and installation; testing, balancing, and commissioning the systems to optimize performance; assessing their performance under normal operating conditions; conducting follow-up environmental testing; allowing time for laboratory analysis and professional review; and preparing classrooms and moving staff and students back to campus.
January is a planning target, not a deadline that will override the work. If the evaluation, repairs, system commissioning, or follow-up testing identifies additional work, the District will complete that work and adjust the timeline accordingly. We will not reopen the campus simply to meet a projected return date.
If this process can be completed sooner and the results support re-occupancy, we will return sooner. Our commitment remains unchanged: students and staff will return only after the necessary work is complete, follow-up testing has been conducted and professionally reviewed, and objective evidence demonstrates that the campus is ready to safely support them.
We recognize that this extends the temporary relocation beyond what was initially anticipated. As the campus evaluation has progressed, however, we are gaining a clearer understanding of the work necessary to address the underlying moisture and humidity conditions comprehensively rather than pursue another short-term solution.
An industrial hygienist investigated the cause of the mold and recommended a comprehensive evaluation of the school's HVAC system.
The report also recommends that a mechanical engineer develop a campuswide operating protocol to ensure heating, cooling, ventilation and humidity-control systems work together consistently throughout the school.
During the remainder of the year, the district will also move forward with additional improvements at Del Sur Elementary.
Those projects include flooring and interior upgrades, humidity-control improvements and HVAC repairs.
Before students and staff can return to campus, the district says the following work must be completed:
- Renovations and humidity-control improvements
- Testing, balancing, and commissioning of the HVAC system
- Operation of the system under normal school-year conditions
- Follow-up environmental sampling and professional review of the results
- Any additional corrective work identified through that process
- Preparation and inspection of classrooms and common areas
- A coordinated move-in process for staff and students
