The Panther Valley Junior-Senior High School does not have mold on its ceiling tiles, its director of buildings and grounds said.

Photographs recently posted on social media show dark stains on ceiling tiles, some brown and some black, due to leaks from the asphalt-covered roof, Scott Fisher said Monday.

“The black stains are just from the water coming through the asphalt and the tar,” he said. “It’s completely harmless. There is no danger to our staff or students.”

Fisher explained that people are mistakenly calling the staining mold, but the discoloration seen is from roof water.

“People are mistakenly calling it mold,” Fisher said. “My own children go to that school. I wouldn’t put my kids in a school that puts them in danger. I wouldn’t do that to anybody’s kids.”

Superintendent Dave McAndrew said that they understand people’s concerns about the leaking roof, but there are no environmental hazards at this time.

“Given the seasonal weather conditions common in Pennsylvania, this type of issue can occur, and we are actively working closely with our roofing contractor to resolve the situation as quickly and as safely as possible.”

The maintenance staff is working to mitigate further damage until the roof can be repaired, he said. The roof is still under a 25-year warranty, Fisher said, and the company does plan to make repairs.

Last summer, the district used a $100,000 state grant to do repairs to the roof’s edge system, which was failing, along with replacing roof drains that were leaking, Fisher said.

“The company that won that work was Pro-Comm Roofing,” he said. “They recently came out to see the leaks and are taking full responsibility for the ensuing repairs.”

Unfortunately, repairs can’t be done with a foot of snow and ice on the roof, Fisher said. Arrangements are being made to remove the snow and make repairs, he said.

McAndrew said the company plans to be at the junior-senior high school again today.