MPS lead hazards: Fernwood Montessori School reopens Friday

Fernwood Montessori reopens Friday

Fernwood Montessori School will reopen to students and staff on Friday, April 25, after the school passed its clearance check by the City of Milwaukee Health Department (MHD).

MILWAUKEE - Fernwood Montessori School reopened to students and staff on Friday after the school passed its Milwaukee Health Department lead hazard clearance check.

The backstory:

Students and staff temporarily moved from Fernwood to Douglas when MPS closed the school in March for stabilization and cleanup of lead hazards. MPS said the closure allowed for intensive work to proceed in the school. 

FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX LOCAL Mobile app for iOS or Android

No children at the school have been identified as having elevated lead levels in their blood in connection with lead dust at Fernwood Montessori School.   

What they're saying:

"I am pleased that we will be able to reopen Fernwood and that students and families will be able to finish this school year in their building," MPS Superintendent Brenda Cassellius said. "Working in partnership with the City of Milwaukee Health Department has allowed us to move forward on our lead remediation work with urgency and precision. We have a lot more work to do in other buildings across our district and will move with the same level of urgency and care for those communities."

Fernwood Montessori School

What's next:

Two other MPS schools – Starms Early Childhood Center and LaFollette School – remain closed due to lead.

Last week, MPS said the painting and renovations were about 75% complete at Starms. Cassellius said she expects that work will finish by the end of the month. Work at LaFollette started on April 15. MPS said it could take four to five weeks to complete.