Delay on mouldy school upsets parents

Parents of the students at Charlottetown's mould-infested Spring Park School learned Tuesday where their children will attend classes next year, but not about the ultimate fate of their school.

Eastern School District superintendent Ricky Hood told the Spring Park Home and School Association Tuesday night students in kindergarten through Grade three will attend St. Jean Elementary next year, and students in grades four to six will go to Birchwood Intermediate.

People at the meeting were told the government will make a final decision about the future of Spring Park in about a month. Three options are being weighed: fixing the current school, quickly building a new school from an existing plan, and taking more time to plan a new school from scratch.

Parent Phillip Tweel wants to hear more from the government about its master plan for Spring Park.

"Parents are frustrated, they're upset and they don't know what to do or where to go," said Tweel.

"Right now what we're upset about is that the government is not taking a stand and moving fast enough to get this resolved. They're dragging it on too long. They've got to be here because the parents are here. Where's the government?"

Spring Park Elementary School was closed in January after mould and air quality concerns were raised. Staff and students had complained of headaches, sinus infections, coughs and eye, nose and throat irritations.

Currently Spring Park's 410 students are spread among four schools around Charlottetown.