Mold forces indefinite closure of Barack Obama Elementary as new school year begins

RICHMOND, Va. — Barack Obama Elementary School will not open for the start of the 2026 school year due to mold, sources have confirmed to CBS 6.

CBS 6 is working to gather more information and will update this story as details become available.

Richmond

Mold source found at Obama Elementary; Tuesday opening possible if tests clear

WTVR CBS 6 Web Staff

Richmond Public Schools had pushed back Barack Obama Elementary's first day from Monday, Aug. 24, after air quality tests showed elevated mold spore levels inside the building. Superintendent Jason Kamras said the mold growth stemmed from an HVAC outage that caused mold to spread in the school's basement and on some furniture. The district also received reports of rodents in several rooms.

Kamras said an air quality test on Saturday came back with slightly elevated mold levels. But remediation efforts uncovered what crews believe is the root cause.

"Most importantly, our remediation efforts uncovered what we believe is the primary source of the mold growth, which was a moist pipe hidden in a supply closet above ceiling tiles," Kamras said. "We were able to thoroughly clean this impacted area, and the mold levels dropped significantly in response."

Kamras said all air quality tests came back clear Sunday afternoon, except for the art room, which would be sealed off to allow teachers to enter the building Monday morning to set up their classrooms.

It is not yet clear where or how much mold was found Monday.

"I can assure you that we will absolutely do everything we need to do to make sure it is safe before anybody further occupies the building," Kamras told reporters at an event on Monday.

The district plans to share more information at a press conference later Monday.

Previous Coverage: Obama Elementary parents divided over mold and rodent concerns

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