Officials announced today that Spanish Fort Elementary school will be closed indefinitely due to the discovery of lead in the paint in the older section of the school. Students were scheduled to return to school today after being off during the holiday season. Officials said at a press conference this morning classes will temporarily be held at Faith Family Church and Spanish Fort United Methodist Church on Wednesday until officials give the okay for the students to return.

This is the first incident of paint lead being discovered in a Baldwin County Public School, Superintendent Dr. Faron Hollinger said.

Hollinger said the administrative staff at the school and teachers became concerned when work was being performed on the school that created dust and paint chips.

SFE officials notified the school board about their concerns and testing was performed on Friday. On Saturday, the results came back positive for lead in the original coating of paint in the older section of the school which opened in 1965.

This isn't the first time SFE has been evacuated for safety reason. In November last year, SFE students and staff were evacuated when school adminstrators smelled gas. The leak was immediately capped off, officials said, and nobody was injured.

Lead is dangerous when it is ingested. The paint discovered in overhead awnings was out of reach of students and environmentalists say would have not caused harm, a news release said. Only when lead paint is disturbed does it typically cause health issues, according to medical professionals. Most homes built prior to 1978 contain lead paint.

Dr. Rusty Ross, said no medical complications have been reported.

“There is no immediate hazard to the neighborhood,” he said.

Ruth Underwood, an official with the Alabama Department of Public Health, said the state would be working with a certified lead assessment specialist to determine when it would be safe for the school to reopen.

Hollinger also said the school board would inventory all other Baldwin County public schools which were constructed before 1978.

“We will take proper precautions to make sure this doesn’t happen again,” he said.

Officials will hold another press conference today.

The interim relocation plans have been announced for SFE:

6th Grade

Bay Community Church – Across from Lowes in Malbis

Administrator on campus: Jon Cardwell, Asst. Principal

5th Grade

Faith Family Church – Highway 31, Spanish Fort

Administrator on campus: Linda Noble, Administrator

K-4

- Prodisee Center (Right Aid Shopping Center)

Administrator on campus: Becky Comer, Principal

- After school care students will be bused from Bay Community and Faith Family to The Gathering Place at the Prodicee Center

- Brown bag lunch will be provided to all students. A break will be provided. School will begin and end at its regularly scheduled times. Start time: 7:45 a.m.;

Dismissal: 3 p.m.

- Buses will be running and will transport students to their appropriate places.