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Vandals Force Closure Of South Suburban Elementary School

UPDATED: 9/19/2014 11:30 a.m.

COUNTRY CLUB HILLS (CBS) -- An elementary school in south suburban Country Club Hills is closed due to an act of vandalism.

The school's exterior walls had been sprayed with paint and fire extinguishers inside had been set off, and the fumes created a potential environmental hazard, officials said.

Vandals Close School

On Thursday, when officials at Zenon J. Sykuta elementary school discovered the damage, students were sent to Southwood Middle School for the day.

As clean-up continues on Friday, students will get the day off.

Vandal Cleanup Classrooom
Cleaning continued Friday at a Country Club Hills elementary school. (Credit: Susanna Song)

Cleaning crews brought out mats and rugs exposed to to the foam and any hazardous material and brought in new supplies.

Since Thursday, they've been airing out the school and cleaning the floors.

Country Club Hills School District 160 Supt. Sandra Thomas says someone sprayed fire extinguishers all over a couple of classrooms and a front hallway and corridor.

Dr. Thomas says the white chalky foam got into the ventilation system and officials felt it safer to keep kids out of school until all of it had been cleaned up.

She says, "I am truly disappointed. We started out such a great school year. We will continue a great school year but it does set us back."

Dr. Thomas says foam covered desks, computers, whiteboards and more in two classrooms. I-T professionals are checking the computers to determine whether they're still usable.

Police aren't saying how the vandals got in.

A recorded phone message went out to families last night that said, in part, "Due to vandalism, our school is closed for cleaning."

School will be back in session on Monday.

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