MILWAUKEE — Parents are still processing the upcoming closure of Trowbridge School due to concerns about high levels of lead hazards.
The temporary and voluntary closure goes into effect Monday. The duration of the closure is unclear. Milwaukee Public Schools leadership stated that 245 students and up to 40 staff members will move to the Wisconsin Conservatory of Lifelong Learning.
"It's not great. My child is autistic, so a change in his routine is not easy for him," parent Hannah Roland told TMJ4.
Roland is bracing for Monday. She plans to leave early to get her 5-year-old son to WCLL, about 5 miles north of Trowbridge School.
"I'm a very busy working mom, so driving across town is not going to be easy, but I'm glad they're taking care of it," Roland said.
The Milwaukee Health Department recommended Milwaukee Public Schools temporarily close Trowbridge after staff observed unsafe lead work being done. Commissioner of Health Mike Totoraitis said a staff member was seen scraping paint without proper containment. Totoraitis said the issue was addressed and corrected right away.
Additionally, preliminary testing from MHD's lead risk assessment at Trowbridge School showed high levels of lead hazard dust on surfaces that had already been remediated.
"Tells us that whatever process had been used successfully in the other schools had not been used in Trowbridge, and there is the potential the levels of lead dust within the school were significantly above what we had initially anticipated," Totoraitis explained.
Watch: Parents concerned about impact of temporary Trowbridge School closure due to lead hazards
"As far as bringing on new staff members to help us with this work, we are working with individuals who are being trained. We’re making sure they’re following the proper protocols, and once they are identified, we are looking to retrain," said Michael Harris, interim chief school administration officer for MPS. "We want to make sure that we're doing the right work, so we're maximizing the time that we have these individuals in our schools to ensure students and staff safety. We have and we will continue to improve on these processes."
There will be a deep cleaning of Trowbridge School this weekend before public health crews return Monday to assess the conditions and make a judgment call about reopening.
According to Harris, WCLL was the most centrally located alternative option for students and staff because many of the south-side schools are at capacity.
"In the car, it's going to have to be another 10 minutes earlier to make it happen. I think most of the parents are concerned that we don't have a timeline yet," parent Dan Mrotek said.
The earliest Trowbridge School could reopen may be late next week. Public health leaders encourage families to have their child tested for lead exposure, adding that those under 6 years old are especially vulnerable.
A lead screening clinic is scheduled for the week of March 10. Details are being finalized.
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