Dolton West School District 148 is monitoring an “unusual odor” that students and staff noticed last week on the third floor of Franklin Elementary School.
Franklin Principal Martez James sent out two letters to parents at the school on Tuesday and Wednesday, the latter of which stated that the Dolton Fire Department had completed a walk through of the building and declared the building safe to remain open.
“We took immediate action to investigate the source and ensure the safety of everyone involved,” James said in the letter.
Neither James nor District 148 officials returned calls from the Daily Southtown.
He said the buildings and grounds department performed an early assessment and students in the two affected classrooms were moved to other parts of the school.
Servpro, a professional cleaning and restoration company, was to complete further evaluations, James said, and the classrooms were undergoing inspection and ventilation.
Despite the district not naming the source of the smell, some social media users last week attributed the school’s odor to mold.
One person posted she heard about the odor from her son, after she came to pick him up from the nurse’s office for an unrelated injury. She said she noticed him wearing a mask, and when she asked why he said his class had mold in it.
“For it to be seen means there’s a bigger issue going on and probably more mold where you can not see,” she wrote.
Tuesday’s letter emphasized the district was “taking the issue seriously” and working to determine the source of the odor.
“The odor can be a distraction to staff and students and may be uncomfortable for those sensitive to odors,” James wrote.
Air purifiers were installed in the affected classrooms and the district coordinated air quality testing “to rule out the presence of hazardous substances.”
James encouraged parents with questions or concerns to contact the school at 708-201-2083.
ostevens@chicagotribune.com
