Asbestos concerns shift Southwark School in Philadelphia to virtual learning
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Students at one Philadelphia school will log on to class this week instead of reporting to a classroom after asbestos concerns shut down Southwark School.
Beginning Tuesday morning, Southwark students will begin virtual classes because of asbestos concerns.
The School District of Philadelphia said beginning on Nov. 6, kindergarten through fifth-grade students will move to South Philadelphia High School and the remaining Southwark students and staff will use George W. Childs Elementary School as a swing space.
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Southwark School was closed to students on Friday due to a professional development day.
Teachers spent the day scrambling, many taking as many of their supplies that would fit into small crates, all to begin virtual classes Tuesday morning.
It comes after a letter went home to the school community Thursday explaining during a routine check of the school's house fan in preparation for the coming cold weather, the environmental team discovered "areas of dust and debris in the attic."
"The attic has floors made of plaster containing asbestos and must be immediately addressed to prevent it being circulated throughout the building if the house fan is turned on in cold weather," the letter read.
Families and students must now figure out what classes will look like.
"It's really hard," parent Kate Jenkins said. "It really leaves parents scrambling and just adds a lot of extra stress. I expect that I will probably have a couple of classmates over at my house, and that's what we did early in [the COVID-19] pandemic as well."
"It's heartbreaking," parent Christa Estrada said. "It's scary our kids go to this school. They deserve better."
Southwark School is the first Philadelphia school to close this school year. Last year, six schools closed due to damaged asbestos.
