The roof of Agnes Gray Elementary School at 170 Main St. in West Paris shows deteriorated shingles. Recent air quality tests revealed mold contamination in every area of the two-story building constructed in the late 1800s. The school was closed in early February immediately after an architectural firm reported it was unsafe for occupancy due to a number of life safety issues. Credit LaVallee Brensinger

PARIS — Recent air quality tests inside the closed Agnes Gray Elementary School in West Paris show mold contamination in every area of the two-story, late 1800s building.

Maine School Administrative District 17 Superintendent Heather Manchester distributed the report from APS Environmental Group to directors at a meeting last week at the district’s Central Office.

APS has turned its focus to investigating the source of water entering the school. School staff have reported seeing water damage on the second floor, but it is not clear if it is because of the leaking shingled roof and/or the December 2022 flood that damaged the gymnasium and surrounding area.

The company is collecting estimates for remediation and will bring recommendations to Chief Financial Officer Carrie Colley.

Six of 23 samples indicated air quality was unsatisfactory. They included the first floor hallway, room one, the nurse’s office, basement storage and pantry.

Samples taken from the following areas were deemed satisfactory: the library, second floor break room, second floor hallway, principal’s office, cafeteria, kitchen, art room, basement hallway and gymnasium.

School board and community meetings have been held since Manchester, with board support, ordered the school at 170 Main St. closed immediately in early February after an architectural firm inspected it and said it was unsafe for occupancy.

Among the issues cited by LaVallee Brensinger Architects were inadequate fire protection and functional emergency exits, outdated and poorly functioning plumbing and electrical systems, a leaky roof, exterior and interior stairwells that are not up to code, and a boiler that is years beyond its serviceable life.

Since then, the firm presented six options to the district. The two under consideration are:

• Keeping the eight elementary schools in Norway, Paris, Oxford, Otisfield, Harrison, Hebron, Waterford and West Paris.

• Consolidating the eight into five, including replacing Guy E. Rowe Elementary School in Norway with a new building and closing Agnes Gray school, Waterford Memorial School and Harrison Elementary School and moving those students to the five others.

Proposals for life safety issues within the school are being collected by LaVallee Brensinger and are due by June 10.