Friday, February 7, 2025
On Wednesday, February 5, the Milwaukee Health Department issued a report regarding the detection of lead in two of our schools. Milwaukee Public Schools is committed to the safety and well-being of our students and staff, and we want to reassure families and staff that we are taking immediate and proactive steps to address and resolve the situation.
The Milwaukee Health Department reported finding lead at Golda Meir Lower Campus and Kagel Schools. However, no lead was detected during the inspection of Milwaukee Academy of Chinese Language. The results from the inspection of Maryland Avenue Montessori School are still pending.
The schools will remain open. The Milwaukee Health Department has outlined the steps Milwaukee Public Schools must take to ensure school safety, and work is underway to adhere to the health department's directives.
The district was first informed of a lead exposure case at Golda Meir Lower Campus in early January. MPS immediately began working with the Milwaukee Health Department to inform families and staff, implementing the recommendations provided by the Milwaukee Health Department at that time. We continued to focus on cleaning and painting while the Health Department continued their assessment and submitted the results to the district on Wednesday, February 5.
MPS continues to work with the Milwaukee Health Department to ensure the safety of our students and staff as we perform the necessary maintenance related to the findings. MPS already has a comprehensive monitoring, maintenance, and abatement process for lead contamination; the manual for the Lead-Based Paint Compliance Program can be viewed online. The district will make any necessary adjustments to its plan based on the recommendations of the Milwaukee Health Department.
Milwaukee Public Schools will continue to collaborate with the Milwaukee Health Department to provide and share information with families and staff as it becomes available. Milwaukee Public Schools, along with the Milwaukee Health Department, wants to reassure you that it will take all necessary measures to keep buildings safe for students and staff.