Sep 15, 2016 2 min read

McGuffey School District is making the most of low interest rates by refinancing its 2011 bonds.

The school board voted unanimously Thursday to refnance general obligation bonds at an amount not to exceed $11 million.

The move will save the school district an estimated $573,000 over the next five years.

The rate of the new bonds will be approximately 2.71 percent – historically low – compared with the 3.61 percent on the old debt.

The school district will use the savings to help balance the budget for the 2016-17 school year.

In another matter, a study conducted Wednesday by an environmental engineering company showed no mold at McGuffey High School, according to Jim McClelland, supervisor of buildings and grounds.

McClelland said HGS Engineering Inc. reported Wednesday night none of the samples taken in 10 classrooms at the school tested positive for toxic mold.

Instead, it found two classrooms had elevated levels of allergens. The allergen levels exceeded the recommended 1000 ppm level.

Students and teachers were removed from those classrooms, which were closed and will be cleaned by the custodial staff.

McClelland said a teacher reported Monday that what appeared to be mold was growing on a ventilation unit. However, McClelland said he believed it was grime, and the unit was cleaned.

Nothing was found on a unit in a classroom where a second teacher reported a similar problem.

McClelland said the custodial staff cleaned every unit in the building, and the two classrooms with high allergen levels will be cleaned and then tested by HGS before students and teachers return to those classrooms.