Del Sur Elementary Students Stay Off Campus
Families will need to plan around a school closure running through the rest of the year while the mold is removed.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Asthma
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Poway Unified School District approved an extensive mold remediation plan for Del Sur Elementary School, and hundreds of its students will remain off campus for the rest of the school year. The mold found there is Cladosporium, which is not commonly referred to as black mold. Families in Poway and across the district are being asked to plan around a longer closure.
Why it matters
The district said the plan was needed to guarantee the mold problem will not happen again, choosing a far more extensive approach over smaller repairs, an earlier reopening, or closing the school. For families of children with asthma or mold sensitivities, a school closure of this length changes daily routines, care coordination, and where kids spend their school hours.
The district's findings came from a mold investigation and testing review presented to the board across roughly 40 slides, which outlined the investigation, the testing results, and potential solutions. The board then weighed several options, ranging from smaller repairs and an earlier reopening to closing the school entirely.
The players
Poway Unified School District
The public school district serving Poway, responsible for the district's campuses and student health and safety decisions.
Del Sur Elementary School
The Poway campus at the center of the mold remediation project, whose students will remain off site through the school year.
The details
The remediation plan removes all existing flooring, fabric curtains, and other materials of concern across the campus, and installs an entirely new HVAC system to address airflow and moisture. Cladosporium is a common outdoor mold that can grow indoors where moisture lingers, and the district's approach targets both the materials that hold it and the ventilation that moves it through a building. The district's decision reflects its judgment that partial fixes would not be enough to prevent recurrence.
Timeline
Rest of the current school year: hundreds of Del Sur Elementary students remain off campus during renovations.
July 9, 2027: district administrators are targeting completion of the remediation work.
August 2027: students are expected to return for the start of the new school year.
Health Landscape
Indoor moisture and mold are widely recognized in public health guidance as contributors to respiratory irritation, including asthma flare-ups in sensitive children. School buildings are a common setting where that guidance meets older ventilation systems and aging materials, and districts increasingly face decisions about whether to patch problems or rebuild core systems.
If your child has asthma and attends Del Sur Elementary, the extended off-campus period is worth planning around, including updating school health plans and asking the school how the new HVAC system and materials will be reflected in air quality. Parents who notice recurring coughing, wheezing, or nighttime symptoms in a child should discuss them with a physician, particularly before the return to campus.
The takeaway
Indoor mold and moisture are a known asthma concern, and this district's decision shows how seriously schools may need to take remediation when problems recur. Families with children who have asthma should ask their school about its indoor air remediation timeline and bring any questions about returning to campus to their child's doctor.
What happens next
District administrators are targeting July 9, 2027 for completion of the remediation work, and students are expected to return in August 2027 for the new school year.
Further reading
For broader context on how indoor triggers affect breathing, explore our Asthma coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by ABC 10 News San Diego KGTV.
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