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.
It's not welcome news to parents like Lynnette Mahnke, who has three kids at Brown Street Academy.
"It's difficult," Mahnke said. "I have a younger one, she's in K3 at another school, and she's supposed to be joining them here next year, which is alarming because she's had lead in her system from houses."
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.
Watch: Officials announce 2 more Milwaukee Public Schools to close for lead remediation
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.
But for a problem that stems back to the 1970s, a plan like this is a little too late for some parents.
"These are older buildings; they should've taken care of it," said Tiana Knox, another Brown Street Academy parent. "They charge people exuberant amounts of taxes every year, millions of dollars. Their buildings should be up to par."
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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