‘Comprehensive cleaning’ forces 2-day closure at Iredell County elementary school

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (WBTV) - An elementary school in Iredell County will close for two days next week for a “comprehensive cleaning.”

Students at Coddle Creek Elementary in Mooresville will participate in online learning Monday, Nov. 9, and Tuesday, Nov. 10, due to mold and air-quality concerns, according to Iredell-Statesville Schools.

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Since August, the district said it had worked with HVAC professionals to evaluate conditions at Coddle Creek, address moisture and humidity concerns, complete additional cleaning, and conduct multiple rounds of indoor air quality testing.

However, recent testing at the school shows more work is needed, prompting a professional air duct and air handler cleaning while the building is unoccupied.

“This plan has been reviewed and deemed appropriate by a Certified Indoor Environmental Consultant,” a district spokesperson said.

Broken units were the primary issue

Officials cited broken HVAC units across the school as the primary issue, emphasizing that air tests alone cannot determine whether a building is safe or if anyone’s health was affected:

• How testing works: Indoor spore counts are compared directly against outdoor air samples taken at the same time.
• What “elevated” means: An area is considered “elevated” only if indoor counts exceed the outdoor baseline.
• Not a health threshold: Officials stressed that “elevated” is not a health standard, meaning a low spore count could still be labeled elevated depending on outdoor air quality that day.

“We understand that families want answers and, most importantly, confidence in their children’s school environment,” the spokesperson continued. “We are committed to addressing these concerns, taking appropriate action, and keeping families informed throughout this process, which will include ongoing monitoring for the remainder of the school year, even after remediation is completed.”