Milwaukee Public Schools; lead, flood remediation being handled

Milwaukee Public Schools; lead, flood remediation being handled

Students in Milwaukee are set to go back to school on Tuesday, Sept. 2. But preparations for the new school year come with a heavier load ? as schools tackle lead and flood remediation.

MILWAUKEE - Students in Milwaukee are set to go back to school on Tuesday, Sept. 2. But preparations for the new school year come with a heavier load – as schools tackle lead and flood remediation. 

MPS challenges ahead of class

What we know:

Reassurance is what Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson and Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) Superintendent Brenda Cassellius are providing the public. This, as students and staff gear up to return to class.

"We're gonna make sure the kids come back to school and safe clean environment," Johnson said. "We're gonna make sure the kids are the best possible position to be ready to go on day number one and make sure the teachers get their classroom set."

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It comes at a time when MPS continues to work on aging buildings, lead abatement and now, damage caused by the historic flooding. 

MPS officials say a total of 24 schools were impacted. Riverside University High School and Barack Obama School of Career and Technical Education were hardest hit. 

What they're saying:

"They're working all weekend to get it ready, and now we just get the air tested in there and then we can go into those affected areas, but those areas are closed off," Cassellius said. 

On Monday, Aug. 25, MPS and city leaders visited Auer Avenue School, one of the 30 schools cleared of lead in the school district. 

Cassellius said there are 106 schools they are abating with lead. She anticipated 50 of those before the school year – and hopes by the end of the school year, they will have the rest completed and cleared. 

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"I know that there's some that didn't think we would get it done but we had a great temiam here," Cassellius said. 

MPS officials said they are bringing in asbestos experts to remove the substance from 12 schools. It was found in tiles. The schools will be tested before classes begin. 

As for the cost of all the damage, the district is still assessing the matter.