MUSKOGEE, Okla. — Muskogee Public Schools is temporarily closing Whittier Elementary School, because of a collapsed sewer line in the building, according to district officials.
The district says Thursday, Jan. 30 and Friday, Jan 31 will be virtual days for students.
On Monday, Feb. 3, students and teachers will report to Harris-Jobe Elementary School, officials said. Classes will be held there until March 23 to give staff time to properly clean up the Whittier campus.
Superintendent Dr. Jarod Mendenhall released a statement regarding the situation.
Parents and Staff of Whittier Elementary,
This morning Muskogee Public Schools maintenance staff discovered a collapsed sewer line under the older structure of Whittier Elementary. After reviewing the damage and evaluating the situation the following actions are being taken.
Whittier Elementary will not be in session on Thursday, January 30 or Friday, January 31, 2020. Instead, Whittier students will be conducting Virtual Days so these days do not have to be made up at the end of the school year. Teachers will send home assignments in yellow folders for students to complete on these two days. The assignments are to be turned into teachers on Monday, February 3, 2020.
Beginning Monday, February 3, 2020 students, teachers and staff will report to Harris Jobe Elementary located at 2809 N Country Club Road. Classes will be held at the Harris Jobe site beginning Monday and will remain at that site until Spring Break with a scheduled return to Whittier on Monday, March 23, 2020.
This time frame will allow the district to properly clean and repair the damage at Whittier. The district is working closely with ServPro, a restoration company, to ensure the building is in good working condition. Other logistics such as transportation and child nutrition are being discussed internally and communication will be sent out in the next two days.
I understand that this is an inconvenience for you and your students but we are working to make the best of a difficult situation. Our priority is the safety and security of all those that attend Muskogee Public Schools and we feel like this is the proper action to take at this time. We ask for your patience and understanding as we work through this situation.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact your child’s principal Ms. Lisa Rogers at 918-684-3800.
Sincerely,
Dr. Jarod Mendenhall
Superintendent
Muskogee Public Schools
If you would like to review the letter as a PDF, click here.
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