Milwaukee City Wire

As efforts to address lead hazards in Milwaukee school buildings continue, three schools are set to temporarily close while another reopens. The Milwaukee Health Department and Milwaukee Public Schools announced that Starms Early Childhood Center, Fernwood Montessori, and LaFollette School will close on March 17 due to significant lead hazards identified during recent inspections. Students and staff from these schools will be relocated to temporary classrooms.

The closures are precautionary, as no children have been found with elevated lead levels in their blood related to the schools. This measure aims to ensure a safe environment through thorough stabilization and cleaning efforts.

Starms Early Childhood students and staff will move from 2616 W. Garfield Ave. to Starms Discovery Learning Center at 2035 N. 25th St. Fernwood Montessori will relocate from 3239 S. Pennsylvania Ave. to Andrew S. Douglas Middle School at 3620 N. 18th St., while LaFollette's community will move from 3239 N. 9th St. to Wisconsin Conservatory of Lifelong Learning at 1017 N. 12th St.

Meanwhile, Trowbridge School of Great Lakes Studies reopened on March 14 after passing a health department inspection following its closure for remedial work starting March 3.

Kagel School has passed its latest inspection with lead dust levels meeting safety standards, requiring no further remediation currently. Golda Meir Lower Campus is undergoing additional clearance checks with updates expected soon, while Maryland Avenue Montessori needs reassessment for one area that failed testing—a locked janitor’s closet inaccessible to students.

The Milwaukee Health Department and Milwaukee Public Schools continue collaborative efforts in inspecting schools, overseeing cleanup, and determining safe reopening timelines for affected schools.

A free lead-screening clinic is scheduled for March 15 at Bradley Technology and Trade School for students attending the affected schools including Fernwood, Golda Meir, Kagel, LaFollette, Maryland Avenue, Trowbridge, and Starms Early Childhood.

Families are advised on steps they can take at home to reduce lead exposure such as using wet wipes for cleaning surfaces, removing shoes indoors, washing hands frequently, providing iron-rich foods, running tap water cold before use, and using certified water filters.

For more information about updates and resources related to this issue, families can visit www.milwaukee.gov/MPS-Lead or mpsmke.com/mpsleadreport.