MILWAUKEE — Two additional Milwaukee Public Schools locations will close for lead remediation, according to Superintendent Brenda Cassellius, Ed.D.
Cassellius announced West Side Academy will close Monday, May 5 and Brown Street Academy will close Monday, May 12. Both will remain closed for the remainder of the school year. Students will be relocated during the closure.
Cassellius noted that there is "no immediate danger" and "no students have been identified with higher lead levels." Starting the work in May, she said, allows time to get all issues resolved before the start of next school year and will allow the district to focus on additional locations over the summer months.
Cassellius and City of Milwaukee Health Commissioner Michael Totoraitis, Ph.D. provided updates on the MPS lead situation during a press conference Monday.
Cassellius also released the district's new lead action plan, saying the plan will "guide our approach moving forward."
More than 100 MPS schools were built before 1978—which is when lead paint was banned. Cassellius said the district has to assume that all of those schools contain lead. She noted that just because a school contains lead does not mean there is an immediate safety risk.
She said the new lead action plan will include visual inspections of all schools built before 1978, clearer and more frequent communication with parents and families, and expanded lead testing for students.
Fernwood Montessori School recently became the fifth school to be cleared of all dangers and reopened, Cassellius noted. She added that steady progress is being made at Starms Early Childhood Center and LaFollette School, which remain closed at this time.
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