Elementary School With Lead Exposure Could Reopen After Week-Long Closure

ALEXANDRIA, VA — After a week-long closure due to lead presence, an Alexandria elementary school is looking to reopen next week.

On Thursday, Sept. 26, Naomi L. Brooks Elementary leadership learned that an environmental contractor found lead particles in kindergarten classroom (Room 2), a fourth grade classroom (Room 18), the main office suite and the clinic at the school. Principal Suzanne Hess told families a contractor starting work on window replacement starting Friday, Sept. 20 had not followed "appropriate mitigation efforts."

The lead presence prompted the school to close starting on Sept. 27. The school has been undergoing deep cleaning and will need to undergo clearance testing to confirm that lead-containing dust has been removed. Superintendent Melanie Kay-Wyatt and Chief Operating Officer Alicia Hart told families in a message the school is targeted to reopen Monday, Oct. 7. Final plans will be shared with families on Friday.

"Clearance tests must show these spaces as below detectable levels prior to formal reopening," the school officials wrote to families.

Some locations have already been cleaned and cleared, as indicated by green on a map of the school. Even if the school reopens Monday, the gym will remain closed off until clearance test results come in. If the school learning spaces won't be cleared before Monday, the school will share plans on Friday for an alternative location for in-person learning.

The school already had a pre-scheduled closure on Oct. 2 to 4. Parent-teacher conferences are happening virtually Friday.

The Alexandria Health Department has recommended blood testing to families to check for lead presence in the blood. Health department director David Rose said lead is especially harmful for young children and pregnant women.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, lead exposure in young children can lead to health effects like damage to the brain and nervous system, slowed growth and development, learning and behavior problems, and hearing and speech problems. Most children may not show obvious symptoms immediately after exposure, the CDC says.

The Alexandria Health Department and Virginia Department of Health participated in a webinar to help inform families about lead exposure. Families needing more guidance or testing may contact the Alexandria Health Department at 703-746-4988. Lead testing can be requested from the family's medical provider, and the health department says an emergency room or urgent care visit is not needed for testing.