Open for just one day, this Philly school was abruptly closed by facilities woes — again

After Building 21 welcomed students back Tuesday following a two-month closure because of asbestos, the West Oak Lane high school closed back down Wednesday — this time because of water damage.

The school will again be virtual at least through Friday.

On Tuesday night, plaster fell from a Building 21 staircase ceiling, apparently from water damage, school district chief operating officer Oz Hill wrote in a letter to district families that was obtained by The Inquirer. District staff blocked off the stairway, which was unoccupied when the plaster fell, and further inspection also showed water damage in another stairway.

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“City of Philadelphia officials and the district’s Division of Fire and Life Safety assessed the stairwells and collectively concluded that the stairwells should be closed,” Hill wrote. “With these two stairwells closed, the distance staff and students would need to travel to building exits [and] would not meet code requirements.”

Cheryl Bettigole, the city’s health commissioner, walked the building herself Tuesday night, Hill said. Another inspection was to be conducted Wednesday.

“We know this is frustrating news on the day after we have celebrated your return,” Hill wrote. “But, the health and well-being of our students and staff must be our top priority. Thank you for your patience and understanding.”

Jerry Roseman, director of environmental science for the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers, said that the plaster that fell in both stairwells contained asbestos but that the extent of the damage was not yet fully known.

When asbestos problems are addressed while people are occupying the building, especially in old facilities with numerous issues such as the majority of Philadelphia’s schools, the risk is higher, Roseman said. The new Building 21 trouble apparently stemmed from the school’s roof, but the school’s doors and windows are also in need of major overhaul, according to district documents.

“This does highlight the need to move as quickly as possible to really address the physical condition of these buildings, for sure,” Roseman said. “The more you delay, the more this kind of thing is going to pop up.”

When students returned to the school Tuesday, they “were in their glory,” said Cassandra Small, parent of a Building 21 senior. Smith volunteered at a welcome-back barbecue at the school. “Happy to see each other is an understatement. There was a lot of hugging and kids being kids. I heard some kids talking about prom, and other good conversations.”

The abrupt closure “messes with their spirit, to say the least,” said Small, who is hoping for a quick resolution and wants the district to send more employees to expedite the work to get students back by Monday.

Staff met virtually Wednesday, shell-shocked at the latest development, said Derrick Houck, a Building 21 music and math teacher. Houck said staff “continue to be concerned about the lack of specific information shared directly with our school community regarding the repairs related to asbestos and lead paint that have happened over the last two months,” Houck said. “We were so excited to reconnect in person with our students yesterday and are now saddened and frustrated once again to have learning disrupted due to unsafe conditions. Our students deserve a safe and modern school facility.”

Building 21, on Limekiln Pike, was constructed in 1916 as the Kinsey School.

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It initially closed March 1 when damaged asbestos was discovered during a routine federal inspection. The shutdown was further complicated by the discovery of more asbestos-containing material that had erroneously been mischaracterized as safe for decades, and by a hasty relocation plan that was not vetted with staff or parents, and which was eventually rejected by nearly every student.

The district’s inspector general is now investigating errors in the Building 21 work.

District officials estimate they would need at least $7 billion dollars to repair or replace all 300-plus school buildings citywide.

The issues are complicated by a fraught relationship between the city and the school system; the district is suing the city over new legislation that gives the city oversight over environment conditions at schools. And there’s a push on City Council to give an independent authority over issuing bonds and managing district repairs.

During a budget hearing Tuesday, however, district and Council officials struck a more conciliatory note.