CRAVEN COUNTY, N.C -- There is still work to be done to Craven County Schools before students and staff can return.

  • They're asking for additional funding to help cover the cost of repair from wind-driven rain, as it is not covered by their insurance
  • The Board of Education passed a motion Thursday morning to use no more than $3.5 million of its funds on repair costs
  • The threat of mold is the biggest concern to the county

Craven County Schools are asking for additional funding to help cover the cost of repair from wind-driven rain, as it is not covered by their insurance. The Board of Education passed a motion Thursday morning to use no more than $3.5 million of its funds on repair costs. The schools have a budget of $5.5 million but needs the remaining funds for payroll.

As a result of prolonged exposure to humidity when schools lost power, the threat of mold is the biggest concern to the county.

“It’s not catastrophic, but it is serious enough that we want to make sure that our students come back to school to climates inside the buildings that are as good or better than what they experience outside our buildings,” said Dr. Meghan Doyle, Craven County Schools Superintendent.

It has been 17 days since students were in a classroom and the administration says it is working as quickly as possible to get back into the school year.

Certified industrial hygienist Bob Herrick says mold could have been a much bigger issue if the schools were not already so well maintained.

“I just can’t be complimentary enough about the routine care, the maintenance, and the custodial work that has been done in these schools is superb,” said Herrick.

Six schools will be open to students and staff who can attend. Those include:

  • Ben D. Quinn Elementary
  • Bridgeton Elementary
  • Grover C. Fields Middle 
  • New Bern High (Exception: Vocational Area)
  • Vanceboro Farm Life Elementary
  • West Craven High 

Nine schools have been partially cleared for return and will reopen once they have been retested and show safe air quality test results. These include:

  • A.H. Bangert Elementary
  • Brinson Memorial Elementary
  • Creekside Elementary
  • Havelock Middle (ECE wing has been cleared)
  • H.J. MacDonald Middle
  • J.T. Barber Elementary
  • Oaks Road Academy
  • Trent Park Elementary
  • W.J. Gurganus Elementary

Eight school sites have not been cleared. These sites will need remediation by contracted external companies. The funding for these companies will come from the Board of Education’s fund balance appropriation decision made Thursday morning of $3.5 million. These include:

  • Arthur W. Edwards Elementary
  • Graham A. Barden Elementary
  • Havelock Elementary
  • Havelock High 
  • James W. Smith Elementary
  • Roger Bell New Tech Academy
  • Tucker Creek Middle
  • West Craven Middle

The Board of Education will continue to keep parents updated online and through phone calls about when schools will open.