Milwaukee lead risk in schools; MPS, health department address concern
MPS, health department address lead concerns
The Milwaukee Health Department and Milwaukee Public Schools addressed lead concerns in schools during a media availability on Friday, Feb. 28, following the closure of one school.
MILWAUKEE - Officials with the Milwaukee Health Department (MHD) and Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) spoke on Friday, Feb. 28 about the lead risk assessment being taken for some of the district's schools.
Lead risk in schools
What they're saying:
"Milwaukee Public School stands committed to collaborating with and following the directives and recommendations from the Milwaukee Health Department. We recognize that our practices, we have to make sure that we're continuing to improve those practices as we go in to remediate areas in our schools," said Michael Harris, Interim Chief School Administration Officer for MPS. "This is really a priority for us and we're going to take care of it. Because we know our families entrust their children to Milwaukee public schools on a day-to-day basis."
What we know:
MHD and MPS announced on Thursday that Trowbridge Street School of Great Lakes Studies will be temporarily closed on Monday, March 3, due to lead concerns.
The health department revealed that recent testing identified elevated levels of lead dust in areas that underwent remediation, which did not meet required health and safety standards. The school has to be closed while further assessment takes place.
"There was actually lead hazard dust on top of those made safe spaces," said Michael Totoraitis, Milwaukee Commissioner of Health. "So what this tells us is that whatever process that had been used successfully in the other schools had not been used in Trowbridge, and there is the potential that the lead, the levels of lead dust within the school were significantly above what we had initially anticipated in school."
Milwaukee lead risk in schools
Officials with the Milwaukee Health Department (MHD) and Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) spoke on Friday, Feb. 28 about the lead risk assessment being taken for some of the district's schools.
Starting on Monday, Trowbridge students will attend Wisconsin Conservatory of Lifelong Learning near 12th and State. They will have the same teachers they had all school year.
Additionally, the regular 7:25 a.m. – 2:25 p.m. school time, will remain the same.
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MPS said any student medication should be picked up from Trowbridge by Friday, Feb. 28.
Trowbridge School
Students already assigned a bus will be taken to WCLL.
Those that need transportation for their kids should call MPS Transportation at 414-475-8922.
Families that would like to keep students home on Friday are asked to contact the Trowbridge office to arrange an excused absence.
Going back?
What we don't know:
It is unknown when Trowbridge students will return to their original school. Students are only going to return once lead hazards have been fully addressed and health officials confirm the school is safe.
Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS)
However, workers will conduct a deep cleaning of the school this upcoming weekend. MHD will be on-site on Monday to assess conditions and determine next steps.
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Certified lead-paint workers have already stabilized areas of concern.
Staying healthy
What you can do:
Families are asked to have their children tested for lead exposure. Lead testing is available through primary care providers and a MHD lead screening clinic is coming the week of March 10.
The Source: The information in this post was provided by the Milwaukee Health Department, Milwaukee Public Schools and previous FOX6 News coverage of this issue.