Suburban students may move to shuttered school after ceiling collapse
LOCKPORT, Ill. (CBS) -- Some southwest suburban high schoolers will have class in a different building in a different town, after a classroom ceiling collapse.
As CBS 2's Charlie De Mar reported, Lockport Township High School District 205 decided on the solution Tuesday night – after kids had been having class online for days.
As one could imagine, parents and school administrators want to return to in-person learning as soon as possible. The superintendent presented three options on how the district can move forward.
One solution involves the reopening of Lincoln-Way High School in Frankfort - which has sat nearly empty since it closed in 2016. It may soon be the temporary home for the Lockport Central freshman class.
Scott Likins described what happened at Lockport Township High School Central Campus – which serves freshmen – when his son was at school.
"He was actually in the classroom adjacent the classroom that had the ceiling collapse," Likins said.
A ceiling collapsed at the Central Campus last week. Nobody was injured, but students were evacuated – and the building has been closed ever since. Classes have been online.
"He doesn't like online learning," Likins said of his son. "He wants to be in class with his classmates and his teachers."
School Supt. Robert McBride said the 114-year-old Central Campus building has been assessed by forensic architects.
The forensic architects found no asbestos or toxins - but there were parts of the ceiling that were in need of repairs. That process will take time.
"We will likely have Lockport Central closed much longer than we initially thought," McBride said.
McBride offered three options. One is to continue e-learning, while another is to move the students from Central into the East Campus – which he said would create a logistical mess.
The board said it could not recommend either of those options.
The third option, which was ultimately approved by the board, is to move the freshman class to Lincolnway High School.
"We'd love to be in this location of Monday or Wednesday of next week," McBride said.
"As soon as they could get them in Lincoln-Way North - if that's the plan that moves forward - I think that's better," said Likins.
Buses and the logistics of getting students to and from school was a concern brought up Tuesday night. The administration said they are working those details out – along with what it will cost for the district to rent the shuttered school.