Overview
- The Monessen City School Board announced a return to in-person classes for middle and high school students on Monday, Nov. 16, citing air-quality and moisture testing completed as recently as Nov. 6.
- District officials say Corwin Inspections and Hayes Microbial Consulting found drywall moisture readings within an acceptable 5%–12% range and that nine weeks of work addressed moisture sources and treated mold-prone areas.
- Parents and community members told the board they remain unconvinced and described illnesses, persistent coughs and other health worries among children who attend district schools.
- KDKA’s investigation and a former maintenance supervisor raised earlier warnings about long-standing mold and structural issues; the district has provided some new documents to reporters but KDKA says it has not yet received the complete testing files it requested.
- The district plans an open house before classes resume and says it will post air-quality reports and building updates online, a step that could affect families’ trust in the district and decisions about returning to classrooms.