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GREENSBORO — School officials say they no longer need to wait on a final environmental health report they’ve sought for months to help them decide when to reopen Oak Ridge Elementary.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health notified Guilford County Schools on Monday that its final report will not include any significant findings from its examination of the school this summer.

Oak Ridge parents were sent an e-mail Tuesday alerting them to the development.

School officials do not have a projected date when students and staff will return to the school.

Oak Ridge Elementary employees and students have complained of illnesses that included headaches, nose bleeds and chronic respiratory problems since the building reopened in 2005 after undergoing major renovations and additions.

In June, Superintendent Maurice “Mo” Green closed the school to students and employees .

In August, students started school at four temporary locations .

During the summer, school officials brought in NIOSH and the private consulting firm Turner Building Science and Design to inspect the school.

Work at the school is continuing. Repairs include removing all carpeting and replacing it with vinyl tile, using dry ice to blast floorboards clean, and replacing damaged drywall.

Guilford County has paid Turner $51,506 to help ensure the mitigation work is done correctly.

School board member Darlene Garrett, who represents the Oak Ridge area, said she is disappointed the NIOSH report will not produce a “smoking gun” as the cause of illnesses reported at the school.

She also is frustrated it took so long for the school district to find out about the final report.

“Government doesn’t do anything fast,” Garrett said.

Officials met Wednesday to discuss how they’ll move forward now that they know the NIOSH report will not require additional work at the school.

Nora Carr, a spokeswoman for the school district, said a team of district officials will develop a transition plan to get the school’s 670 students and their teachers moved out of the four alternative sites and back into Oak Ridge Elementary.

Work at the school is set to exceed the $410,000 budget that the school board approved for the work earlier this year by at least $40,000.

And the final bill could climb higher because there are costlier repairs yet to be made.

Some parents are frustrated with the situation and began circulating a petition this month to urge the school board not to wait for the NIOSH report to move students back into the school.

In other business Thursday night, the school board:

• Approved a contract for five nurses’ salaries at $286,961 and additional nursing services through the county health department.
• Heard a report on magnet schools. The district likely will remodel magnet programs at Bluford, Montlieu, Hampton and Parkview elementary schools because the schools are failing to meet expectations for test scores and enrollment.
• Heard from Chairman Alan Duncan that the building advisory committee is likely to recommend reconsidering where to build autism wings covered in the 2008 bond.

Contact J. Brian Ewing at 373-7351 or brian.ewing@news-record.com