Frequently Asked Questions

Del Sur Elementary Remediation – Community Update (September 4, 2026)

The District is now targeting January 2027 for Del Sur students and staff to return to the Del Sur campus. This timeline reflects the full sequence of work required: sourcing specialized materials and equipment; completing necessary modifications and installation; testing, balancing, and commissioning the systems to optimize performance; assessing their performance under normal operating conditions; conducting follow-up environmental testing; allowing time for laboratory analysis and professional review; and preparing classrooms and moving staff and students back to campus.

January is a planning target, not a deadline that will override the work. If the evaluation, repairs, system commissioning, or follow-up testing identifies additional work, the District will complete that work and adjust the timeline accordingly. We will not reopen the campus simply to meet a projected return date.

If this process can be completed sooner and the results support re-occupancy, we will return sooner. Our commitment remains unchanged: students and staff will return only after the necessary work is complete, follow-up testing has been conducted and professionally reviewed, and objective evidence demonstrates that the campus is ready to safely support them.

We recognize that this extends the temporary relocation beyond what was initially anticipated. As the campus evaluation has progressed, however, we are gaining a clearer understanding of the work necessary to address the underlying moisture and humidity conditions comprehensively rather than pursue another short-term solution.

Root-Cause Analysis and Industrial Hygienist's Report

The root-cause analysis is being conducted by a multidisciplinary team that includes District facilities staff, mechanical engineers, architects, building automation and controls specialists, an independent industrial hygienist, contractors, and other technical experts.

The team is evaluating the campus as an interconnected system, including heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment and controls, airflow, drainage, building materials, moisture and humidity conditions, and other potential contributing factors, rather than examining any one component in isolation.

The industrial hygienist's final assessment, dated August 28, is now available at this link. It follows the preliminary results shared with families on August 23. The underlying test results have not changed; the final report provides additional analysis, context, and recommendations.

Among those recommendations, the industrial hygienist called for a comprehensive evaluation of the HVAC system to determine the most effective way to manage humidity throughout the campus. The report also recommends that a mechanical engineer establish a schoolwide operating protocol so that heating, cooling, ventilation, and humidity control work together consistently across the campus.

The current professional assessment is that the HVAC system can adequately serve the campus if modifications are completed and a consistent schoolwide operating protocol is established. Our investigation will continue.

The team will continue to validate that conclusion through system commissioning, performance assessment, and follow-up environmental testing. If that work indicates that additional modifications, repairs, upgrades, or replacement of particular components are necessary, the District will complete them before reopening.

The industrial hygienist also recommends that, after any necessary modifications are complete, the HVAC system operate under normal school-year conditions for at least 48 hours before another round of air sampling is conducted. This will allow the District to evaluate environmental conditions while the mechanical system is operating as it will when students and staff are present.

The decision to reoccupy the campus will be informed by the mechanical engineers' evaluation of system performance and the independent industrial hygienist's review of post-work environmental conditions. If follow-up testing or system evaluation identifies an unresolved concern, the affected area will not return to use. Additional corrective work will be completed, and the area will be evaluated and tested again before it is occupied.

Major Renovation Work Underway

The District is moving forward with substantial work at Del Sur during the remainder of the year. The following provides an overview of the work planned through December 2026.

Flooring and Interior Improvements

  • Existing carpet is being removed throughout the campus.
  • Replacement flooring and selected interior finishes will be installed.
  • Furniture and classroom contents are being carefully moved, documented, and stored while work is underway.
  • The goal is not simply to replace what was removed, but to install durable, school appropriate finishes and provide refreshed learning spaces for students and staff.

HVAC Evaluation, Repairs, and Optimization

  • Interior and rooftop air-handling units, air-conditioning systems, and supply and exhaust fans are being inspected, cleaned, serviced, and repaired where needed.
  • The inspections include drainage systems, insulation, valves, motors, fans, ductwork, electrical connections, filters, and other mechanical components.
  • The chiller plant and boiler room are also being evaluated and will be serviced based on the findings of the mechanical engineers.
  • Engineers will establish a coordinated schoolwide operating protocol designed to improve humidity management and ensure the various components of the HVAC system operate effectively together.
  • After any necessary modifications are completed, the HVAC system will undergo testing, balancing, and commissioning. This process will verify that individual components are operating properly together, that airflow is appropriate throughout the campus, and that the system can manage temperature and humidity under normal operating conditions.

Humidity Control

  • Engineers are developing both interim and permanent solutions to improve humidity control within the two-story building, including the interior hallway.
  • An interim humidity-control solution will be installed and evaluated before students and staff return.
  • Humidity conditions will continue to be monitored as the HVAC system is repaired, optimized, and tested.
  • The District will continue humidity monitoring after the campus reopens. Engineers will review system performance and environmental conditions to confirm that the improvements continue to operate as intended and to identify any condition requiring adjustment or additional action.

Requirements for Returning to Campus

Before students and staff return, the District expects to complete the following:

  • Renovations and humidity-control improvements
  • Testing, balancing, and commissioning of the HVAC system
  • Operation of the system under normal school-year conditions
  • Follow-up environmental sampling and professional review of the results
  • Any additional corrective work identified through that process
  • Preparation and inspection of classrooms and common areas
  • A coordinated move-in process for staff and students

The District is currently targeting December 2026 for completion of the major flooring, interior, HVAC, and interim humidity-control work necessary to support a January return. Completion of construction alone will not determine the return date. The upgraded systems must be evaluated under normal operating conditions, follow-up environmental testing must be completed and reviewed, and any additional concerns must be addressed before the campus is reoccupied.

Additional Updates

  • Portable classrooms at Stone Ranch: The new portable classrooms will be ready for students and staff beginning Tuesday, September 8, 2026.
  • Continued transparency: District will continue to share final environmental reports and substantive findings with families and staff as they become available, along with clear explanations of what the findings mean and how they are informing the work.

We appreciate the continued patience and flexibility of the Del Sur and Stone Ranch communities. We understand that families and staff want confidence not only that the work will be completed, but that it will be done thoroughly and correctly. That is also our expectation.

We will continue to provide meaningful updates as the work progresses. If the work, system evaluation, and follow-up testing support an earlier return, we will communicate that opportunity promptly. Verified readiness, not the calendar, will determine when students and staff return to Del Sur.