ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — The winter break will be extended for about 800 preschool students in one Florida county after mold was found inside 11 Head Start centers.
Classes have been pushed back to Jan. 13 and possibly later, according to Lutheran Services Florida, a nonprofit agency that manages the federal funded early learning programs in Pinellas County.
The mold was discovered during routine checks while the schools were closed over the holiday break, the Tampa Bay Times reported.
Contractors were brought in to fix the issue and families of the students were notified immediately.
Some of the problems were “pretty minor” while others were more serious, said Lutheran Services spokesman Josh Talkington.
“If this lasts longer than one week, we will implement home-based options where possible and are seeking additional options for children to attend school,” the statement said.
He said parents will be invited to a meeting where they can ask questions once the centers are all open again.
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