Some students in Conception Bay North will have to finish what’s left of the school year at another school.
Officials with the Department of Education say they’ve been forced to close Holy Redeemer Elementary in Spaniard’s Bay due to a “chemical-type” odour in the building.
They say the smell was first detected last week, “and out of an abundance of caution the school was closed.”
That means students have been at home while officials await air testing results and come up with alternate arrangements.
Those changes will kick in on Monday, with students being moved to other schools in the area for an “undetermined” amount of time.
Kindergarten to Grade 3 students will attend Bay Roberts Primary, Grades 4 to 6 will go to All Hallows Elementary in North River, and those in Grades 7 to 9 will be bused to St. Peter’s Elementary in Upper island Cove.
Officials say teachers have been given extra time for classroom setup, and busing will be re-arranged to accommodate those who need it.
They say the updated busing schedule will be posted on the NL Schools website by the end of the day on Friday, May 24th.
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(Minister and MHA Pam Parsons)
Meanwhile, area MHA Pam Parsons acknowledged some parents are concerned the school could close permanently, but that’s not something she’s heard.
“I’m told by the Department of Education, as well as officials from the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure, (that) this work is ongoing to determine the source, and of course ultimately, get a resolution to this problem,” she said, adding it’s not clear how long that will take.