School District of Manatee County officials say they’re addressing concerns about mold at a local high school with a $1.3 million cleanup project.

The school district conducted mold testing throughout all eight buildings of Lakewood Ranch High School after the issue was raised at a school board meeting in October. District officials released the full assessments to families on Jan. 13, saying the cleanup is ongoing.

The reports showed low mold levels indoors, according to a biologist who specializes in mold. However, some students and teachers claimed the mold was causing health issues in the school.

After testing, the school district followed through with the $1.3 million remediation, including advanced cleaning and replacing new air filters throughout the school.

“We understand how big of a role our facilities/classrooms play in our students’ and staffs’ daily life. We are committed to making these improvements and keeping you informed every step of the way,” Superintendent Laurie Breslin said in a December letter to families .

High school community raises mold concerns

Mold issues at the school are not new . In 2017, mold in one of the buildings caused the district to temporarily close the building, the East County Observer reported.

The topic was again brought to the board’s attention during a school board meeting on Oct. 28. There, a teacher and student from the school spoke about the mold issues on campus, including health concerns.

Rennie Finck, a teacher at the school, said she received guidance from a doctor to avoid the school due to health concerns .

“I’ve been out for over three weeks, using my sick leave to recover and protect myself from an unsafe environment beyond my control,” Finck said at the time.

Finck also said she heard of other teachers who reported illnesses she presumed were mold-related, and claimed at least 14 rooms were “significantly” impacted. She urged the school board to conduct professional testing and cleaning.

“Everyone deserves safe, healthy environments, and the conditions at Lakewood Ranch High School are serious. They are a safety concern that must be addressed,” Finck said.

Student Jack Lowrance also raised concerns about the mold, calling it a public health issue.

“As a student, I have the right to get my education without being exposed to health issues,” Lowrance said.

District shares mold test results

Statements made at the school board meeting, and some social media buzz, led to the district taking action. A risk management company assessed the school at the end of last year, and Breslin included the assessment for Building 8 in her December letter to families.

“The good news is that no severe fungal spore types, such as Stachybotrys or Memnoniella, were found in any of the samples collected. The inspection was very thorough, including more than 120 air samples, a full evaluation of all buildings, and a temperature and humidity study,” the letter stated. “Overall, the air quality inside the buildings was better than outside. The only particles detected were common in Florida, like Cladosporium and Curvularia, and they appeared only in isolated areas.”

Mold readings “low,” expert says

The Bradenton Herald asked a mold expert to review the findings. Nicholas Money, a biology professor at Miami University in Ohio, said the mold measurements in Building 8 were low.

“Mold is something to take really, really seriously,” Money said. “But when you’ve got these kind of low levels of mold in the indoor space, there’s not the evidence here to say that the molds inside the school are your biggest problem.”

He said the main health risk would be for people with asthma and allergies near areas with higher concentrations of mold.

“We breathe mold spores every breath of our lives,” Money said. “And our bodies are really good at dealing with them. The problem is for those of us that are allergic to mold spores.”

Money also stressed the pervasiveness of mold, especially in climates like Florida. He said opening windows and doors — even slightly — lets mold spores into a building.

“To exclude mold is impossible, especially in a place like Florida with high humidity and luxuriant plant growth, and the plants support molds,” Money said.

Mold expert praises school district efforts

When asked about the district’s $1.3 million remediation efforts, Money commended the district for taking action despite what he called “low” levels.

“They’re doing everything they can reasonably do to further reduce mold levels within the school,” Money said. “It seems like they’re taking this really seriously.”

On Jan. 13, the school district released the reports for the remaining buildings, and Money reviewed the reports. In an emailed statement to the Bradenton Herald, Money said his conclusions remained the same.

“All air samples show very low levels of airborne spores and all measurements are well below the concentrations of spores detected in the outdoor air samples,” Money said.

He added that spot and swab samples — which were used for mold on the surfaces of desks, instruments and vents — can help identify mold types, but are sometimes not a reliable measure of human exposure. However, when the samples are combined with mold growth over large areas, “they can be useful in raising red flags about mold problems in buildings,” Money said.

District begins mold cleanup at Lakewood Ranch High School

According to Jamie Carson, a spokesperson for the district, a company completed cleanup for Buildings 6 and 8 starting during winter break.

The work includes micro-cleaning, which uses advanced techniques to target mold at a deeper level. Statements from the district said the contractors will also install new air filters throughout the school.

“The School District has contracted with Simpson Environmental Services, LLC, to carry out this extensive cleaning process that follows national standards established by the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC),” Carson said in a statement to the Bradenton Herald . “To minimize disruption to the educational environment for our students and staff, work is being performed during after‑school hours and on weekends. Based on current timelines and scheduled campus activities, the project is expected to continue into March.”

“Following the deep cleaning of each building, an independent industrial hygienist conducts a post‑assessment to verify air quality in every classroom. Initial assessment reports are being finalized for public records, and verification reports will also be made publicly available as they are completed,” the statement continued.

The district is also going to pursue a $6 million project to replace the underground piping at the school, a project which was approved in September 2025, according to the district.

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