A Shuswap elementary school has stopped operations due to a musty odour that has plagued the school for weeks.
Parkview Elementary has ceased operations on the advice of Interior Health after the smell had been noticed on and off for two weeks following a rainstorm.
Alice Hucul, in charge of communications at School District #83, said it is not known when the students will return to their classrooms, and in the meantime, they will be attending classes at nearby elementary schools.
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Parkview’s class groups will be kept together and will be in their temporary locations by Wednesday, Sept. 25. Four Kindergarten-Grade 2 divisions will be sent to Eagle River Secondary, two Grade 2-3 divisions to North Canoe Elementary and three Grade 4-6 divisions to South Canoe Elementary.
The decision to stop the school’s operations comes after Interior Health inspected various areas of the school, brought in two restoration companies, a representative from WorkSafe BC and performed a series of air quality tests. Hucul said the air quality tests came back negative and that the decision was not made out of immediate alarm, but rather to err on the side of caution.
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“We apologize for any inconvenience and anxiety that these changes will cause our students and parents, and we thank you for your patience as we work through this challenge,” said superintendent Peter Jory.
Letters have gone home to all affected parents and SD83 will be holding a meeting with parents on Monday, Sept. 23 at 7 p.m. at Eagle River Secondary to answer any questions or concerns.
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