The School District of Philadelphia has shared 24 locations where students and teachers could be temporarily moved if damaged asbestos and other environmental hazards force schools to close.
This story was originally published by Chalkbeat. Sign up for their newsletters at ckbe.at/newsletters.
The School District of Philadelphia has shared 24 locations where students and teachers could be temporarily moved if damaged asbestos and other environmental hazards force schools to close.
The “swing space master plan” released in December has been in the works for several months. It includes few details, but does feature a map of the temporary locations, which are mostly other school buildings that are either in use but have extra space, or have been closed but are still owned by the district. News that those locations were under consideration as swing spaces was first reported by The Philadelphia Inquirer in November.
Oz Hill, the district’s chief operating officer, said in a letter accompanying the plan that it will guide the district’s response to “environmental hazards such as asbestos abatement, mold remediation, building maintenance, repairs, or other safety concerns.”
Asbestos remediation has closed seven school buildings in Philadelphia since the start of the 2022-2023 year, and officials have warned more closures are likely still to come. The most recent closure was Southwark Elementary last month. District experts have said at least 293 of 300 Philadelphia district buildings contain asbestos — though they said the substance is not dangerous until disturbed.
The district has come under fire from parents and activists in the city who’ve demanded a more comprehensive and transparent approach to handling these school closures.
Hill said the new master plan comes with a commitment from the district to provide a “swift response,” “minimal disruption,” “transparent communication,” and swing spaces that have been “thoroughly assessed to meet safety standards.”
Marissa Orbanek, a spokesperson for the district, said in an email the plan could be used for anything “that renders a building temporarily unsuitable for in-person learning,” including flooding, repairs, asbestos or mold abatement, or building maintenance. It could also be used for “proactive work,” such as capital improvement projects.
Below is a map of those locations, courtesy of the School District of Philadelphia.
Carly Sitrin is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Philadelphia. Contact Carly at csitrin@chalkbeat.org.
Chalkbeat is a nonprofit news site covering educational change in public schools.
Have any questions, comments, or concerns about this story? Send an email to editors@kensingtonvoice.com.
City crews say they’re taking care to preserve trees during road repairs, but advocates argue that the canopy is still under threat.
The Philadelphia Board of Health postponed a vote on Councilmember Quetcy Lozada’s mobile service regulations, citing legal, policy and equity concerns about a district-specific law affecting Kensington.
After seeing the redesign plans for McPherson Square Park and Library, residents asked for more shade, and requested the library stay open during construction.
McPherson Square Library, which has been closed since June 21st due to a broken air conditioning system, may reopen by next Tuesday in time for a meeting with the City of Philadelphia’s Rebuild program.
Stay informed with community-driven reporting, local events, and neighborhood updates — every week, free to your inbox.
