‘Significant progress’ on asbestos at Southwark Elementary; reopening on track for Nov. 27

Southwark Elementary, the South Philadelphia school temporarily closed because of damaged asbestos, is on track for a Nov. 27 opening, officials told the community this week.

“I am delighted to share that the district has made significant progress in addressing environmental concerns with your school’s attic and house fan,” Victoria Flemming, the Philadelphia School District’s executive director of environmental management and services, told Southwark families in a Nov. 15 letter. “The ventilation system has been reconfigured and new vents are being installed in classrooms and other areas served by the house fan.”

Air testing has “consistently shown no sign of asbestos fibers,” Flemming wrote. More tests were to be conducted Thursday, with results available Friday. If the news continues to be good, teachers can begin packing up their temporary classrooms Friday afternoon.

» READ MORE: Asbestos closed Southwark Elementary School. Most students will relocate to South Philly High.

Southwark closed in late October after environmental teams checking the school’s house fan to prepare for cooler weather found dust and debris in the attic, where floors are made of plaster-containing asbestos. Officials feared that turning the house fan on would circulate the dust throughout the school.

Students learned virtually for a week and, since Nov. 6, have been split up in two locations, learning in temporary classrooms. Most students are occupying space at South Philadelphia High School on South Broad Street, and the remainder are at Childs Elementary in Point Breeze.

» READ MORE: Here are the 24 sites Philly plans to use for students when displaced by asbestos

In preparation for the planned move back to Southwark, on South Ninth Street, classes will be virtual on Monday and Tuesday. Students will have a half-day on Wednesday, with students learning asynchronously, meaning that students and the instructor sign on at different times and work at their own pace, to give teachers time to unpack their classrooms at Southwark.

Students will have Thursday and Friday off for the Thanksgiving recess, as planned. Nov. 27 will be report card conference day, with no school for students and parents attending conferences at Southwark; students and staff will be back in the building, if all goes according to plan, on Nov. 28, a Tuesday.

“Thank you for your patience during this important work for the health and safety of the Southwark community,” Flemming wrote. “We wish you and your families a joyful Thanksgiving holiday.”

Southwark is the first Philadelphia School District building to close in the 2023-24 school year. Six schools closed in the 2022-23 year because of damaged asbestos.