Traces of mold have been found in elementary and high schools in 5 different cities in South Jersey.
Action News spoke with some elementary school students who would have been in class Thursday, but the opening day of school has been delayed until Monday because of small amounts of mold found at Northfield Community School.
"I was actually sad that we weren't going because I was prepared for everything," Chris Campbell.
"I was looking forward to seeing whoever is in my class and all my friends, so we haven't done that in awhile," said Bobby Campbell.
"I would like them to take care of this so we don't have to walk around in mold and breathe it and everything," said Chris Silba.
Northfield School superintendent announced Wednesday that an airborne mold was discovered on the second floor of the school around 1:00pm.
Professional tests confirmed the findings and more extensive tests have been ordered.
The Northfield students are not alone.
Mold issues have also delayed the start of classes this year in Weymouth as well as the Jordan Roads School in Somers Point and the Holly Hills School in Westampton, New Jersey.
Ocean City High School did open Thursday, but 6 classrooms and the auditorium remained closed off while they are cleaned up and tested.
In Northfield, 1,100 students are affected.
"We just don't understand as a community with some of the parents that there is summer school there all summer long, so why are we finding out the night before school?" asked parent Deb Murphy.
Superintendent Dr. Janice Fipp says the mold was just discovered Wednesday afternoon on the ceiling of a closet that had been locked up all summer long.
"You cannot take a risk to harm the health of our staff members nor our children," Dr. Fibb said.
While the mold delays have become a headache for some and have disrupted the start of school in several districts, school officials say they take the safety of the students and staff very seriously. They don't want students in the buildings until they have been cleaned up and have been given the all-clear.
