Students who attend Detroit's Palmer Park Academy will be spending the rest of the school year at the Detroit International Academy.
The students are being moved after a teacher spotted potential mold in a classroom. However, the principal disputes that, saying the mold was spotted in a few locations, none of which were in classrooms.
A third party is conducting tests of the possible mold and the results are due back as earlier as Friday. However, they are more likely to come in next week.
School has been canceled this week over the issue.
Detroit International Academy is an all girls school, with about 500 students. Under the arrangement that has been worked out to have the Palmer Park students attend classes there, the two student bodies will be kept separated.
Extra security is being brought in to help keep the school bodies separated. The Palmer Park students will also be required to use a separate entrance then the Detroit International students.
While the school calendar will remain the same, the school day has been shifted to 9:20 a.m. in the morning until 4:30 p.m. in the afternoon each day.
The move is to accommodate students who walk to Palmer Park Academy. Those students will still walk to Palmer Park under the new arrangement. They will then be bused to the Detroit International Academy every day at 9:00 a.m.
All daily bus routes will remain the same, with the students who take buses to school now being taken to the Detroit International Academy.
Officials say two other options were considered, but this one was chosen as it keeps all the students and teachers together.
Parents and students will be allowed to get items in the lockers at Palmer Park Academy. However, anything that is not claimed will be brought to the Detroit International Academy.
The root of the environmental issues plaguing the school is the roof at Palmer Park Academy. Detroit Public Schools Community District Superintendent Nikolai Vitti says the roof was supposed to be replaced in the spring. The repairs have already been signed off on.
Vitti says he acted when health concerns beyond the leaky roof emerged. Ivy Bailey, the President of the Detroit Federation of Teachers is giving Vitti credit for taking action.
However, Vitti, who says "I own what I own", says the conditions are related to mismanagement by the former Emergency Managers of Detroit Publics Schools and that 10 other schools in the district need new roofs as well.
Parents are encouraged to call the following numbers if they need help:
- Parent Hotline/Enrollment - 313-240-4377
- Transportation Hotline - 313-945-8600
- Office of Specialized Student Services - 313-873-7740
- Family and Community Engagement - 313-576-7490
- Student Records and Transportation - 313-576-0090
