LFHS mold concerns: Parents spoke up, District responds
By Parents Care | Community Brief | District update: September 16, 2026
Families who shared LFHS mold concerns with Parents Care gave us specific information to take directly to District leadership. On September 15, we submitted photographs and questions about classroom conditions, repairs and the decision to return students. The next day, Principal Dr. Erin Lenart issued a public update announcing findings, temporary closures, remediation and further testing.
Public answers and specific commitments are progress worth recognizing. Thank you to the parents who brought this forward and made our inquiry possible.
For students and teachers, this concerns the spaces where they learn and work. For Lake Forest and Lake Bluff taxpayers, it concerns facilities maintenance, public resources and the accountability that should accompany both.
Parents brought the concern forward
Several parents sent us a Facebook post describing apparent water damage and suspected mold in a Lake Forest High School classroom, along with photographs of ceiling discoloration and damage.
According to the parent’s account, she raised concerns during the school’s open house. Students were temporarily relocated but returned two school days later, without her receiving confirmation of what remediation had occurred.
The photographs documented conditions that warranted questions. They could not establish the presence or extent of mold, or the classroom’s current condition. We sought an explanation directly from District 115.
Our September 15 inquiry to District leadership
Parents Care Executive Director Frank McCormick emailed Board Vice President Anne Geraghty Helms, copying Superintendent Matthew Montgomery and Facilities Director Dan Mortensen. We asked Ms. Helms to bring the issue to her fellow Board members and obtain an explanation from the administration.
Our questions were straightforward:
When was the problem identified? When did administrators first learn of the conditions, and was the Board informed?
What did the inspection find? What work addressed the affected materials and the underlying moisture source?
What supported returning students? Who made that decision, and on what basis?
What work remained? If the District could not establish that the classroom was safe for occupancy, would classes be relocated until it could?
We requested a response by 5 p.m. September 16 so we could share accurate information with the families who had contacted us.
District 115’s response to LFHS mold concerns
In her September 16 community update, Dr. Lenart reported that an independent environmental engineering firm assessed conditions and conducted testing in the second-floor west wing corridor. Preliminary testing identified elevated mold spore levels in certain spaces, according to the District.
The announced response includes:
Temporary closures and relocation. Affected spaces and nearby areas would close while classrooms and offices relocated.
Remediation and deep cleaning. Affected ceiling tiles, drywall, pipes and other materials would be removed, replaced, cleaned or otherwise remediated as appropriate.
Work on underlying moisture conditions. Measures include ventilation inspections, pipe insulation where needed and air purifiers as an additional precaution.
Testing and clearance before reopening. The District said students and staff would return only after further testing and clearance by environmental professionals.
Continuing independent monitoring. The District announced quarterly indoor air quality assessments and training for custodial and maintenance staff to identify and respond to moisture or mold.
Dr. Lenart attributed the moisture problems to recent heat, humidity and condensation involving an aging HVAC system. She said many affected spaces were already scheduled for Phase 2 renovation.
The September 16 announcement described a response underway, not completed remediation. Additional test results were expected early the following week.
Public answers are progress worth recognizing
Parents supplied firsthand information. We organized their concerns into a written inquiry and brought it to the Board and administration. The next day’s public update addressed several of the same questions about findings, corrective work and the conditions for returning students and employees.
We thank Dr. Erin Lenart for providing that detailed public explanation. We also thank every parent who shared information and asked for answers.
This is the value of an engaged community: concerns are documented, questions are put before decision-makers, and public commitments can be followed through. The update does not establish when each District action began. It does give families, teachers and taxpayers a plan against which to assess what happens next.
Questions about prevention and communication remain
Moisture problems can develop in older buildings. The oversight questions concern how promptly those problems are identified, what protections are put in place and what families and employees are told.
Voters approved the $105.7 million referendum in April 2023. District materials describe a phased facilities program that includes roofing, plumbing and HVAC work. Read the District’s referendum overview.
A phased renovation schedule makes interim maintenance and monitoring important. It also leaves questions that the September 16 update did not fully answer:
When were these moisture conditions first identified, and what action followed?
What inspections and interim measures were in place while renovations were pending?
What information did affected families and employees receive before the earlier reported classroom return?
How were relevant allergies, asthma and other health needs considered?
What findings and completed work will support reopening, and how will ongoing monitoring be communicated?
Parents Care will follow the announced remediation, reopening decisions and independent monitoring, and share further verified information with the community.
Share a concern and stay informed
This inquiry began with parents sharing what they had observed. If you are a parent, teacher, staff member or community member with a school concern, email info@parentscare.org or submit a concern to Parents Care.
Firsthand observations, photographs and relevant correspondence help us identify questions and follow up.
Get our email updates, and share this article with a friend or neighbor in Lake Forest or Lake Bluff.
Source for the announced findings and response: Dr. Erin Lenart’s September 16, 2026 LFHS community update. This article describes that announcement and the September 15 Parents Care inquiry; it does not establish subsequent test results or reopening status.
