New Caney Elementary odor that ended classes on Friday still lingering, sickening kids, parents say

NEW CANEY, Texas (KTRK) -- New Caney Elementary School parents contacted ABC13 on Monday about students and staff still having issues with their building's condition.

On Friday, Eyewitness News reported that the school asked parents to pick up their kids earlier due to a strange odor in the building.

The district said that the smell may have been due to construction.

ABC13 received reports from parents Monday morning, claiming kids who went to school got sick upon arrival.

An employee inside the building also told ABC13 that their sinuses started giving them problems once they got to work.

A New Caney Independent School District spokesperson said they've received no such reports of people getting sick at the school on Monday. Eyewitness News also had someone tell us an ambulance was seen picking up an employee near the drop-off line.

The district confirmed an ambulance tended to a central office employee at the school but added that it was a health-related issue that had nothing to do with the state of the building.

Leslie Fults, who has three kids at New Caney Elementary, said her students have been getting sick for months due to the school's condition.

She told ABC13 that the building's roof had leaked for months, which had led to mold, missing ceiling tiles, and bare floors inside classrooms.

The district said a roof replacement project would be completed soon. New Caney ISD added it took the proper steps to remediate mold.

"They keep saying they've done repairs, but it's still an issue," Fults said, adding that her children dealt with various health problems in recent months as a result of attending the school.

Courtney Brana, another New Caney Elementary parent, blamed the building on her daughter's recent illnesses.

"She has been sick, experiencing illness since December," Brana said about her 6-year-old daughter. "She was admitted into the hospital for two weeks, so it's been a long journey."

A new elementary school is replacing the aging campus, but that isn't taking place until the fall semester of 2026.

New Caney ISD said it will "continue to work to maintain the current building and address any issues that arise so that the school is safe for learning."

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