MILWAUKEE — Cleanup efforts at Starms Early Childhood Center are complete and the building has passed an inspection by the health department, Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) said Wednesday. 

Starms Early Childhood Center closed due to dangerous levels of lead on March 17; students and teachers were temporarily relocated to the Starms Discovery Learning Center building. MPS said no students at Starms Early Childhood Center were identified as having high levels of lead in their blood because of the school building.

However, students and teachers will finish out the school year at the Starms Discovery Learning Center building. MPS said the building is cleared for people to come in, but it does not want to further disrupt the school year.

“The MPS facilities team is making good progress in clearing schools of lead dangers,” MPS Superintendent Brenda Cassellius said. “Our students and families have navigated these disruptions with patience, and for that we are grateful. I’m encouraged that we have been able to clear another building of lead dangers and that there is a clear plan moving forward for all our schools.” 

MPS said crews completed renovations at Starms Early Childhood Center, stabilized surfaces with paint and cleaned the building.

Five other MPS schools have passed Milwaukee Health Department (MHD) inspections after lead remediation work.

LaFollette School, Westside Academy and Brown Street Academy remain closed for lead remediation work.

MPS said painting and renovation are projected to be complete at LaFollette School this month. However, the school will still need to be thoroughly cleaned before MHD will conduct a building inspection.

According to the new MPS Lead Action Plan, the summer will be dedicated to checking schools for lead dangers. MPS said it will bring in 130 workers to inspect schools and complete any lead remediation needed in the 54 MPS schools built before 1950. MPS said its goal is to have that completed by September.

Then, MPS said it will inspect and work on any needed lead remediation in its 52 schools built between 1950 to 1978. In 1978, lead paint was banned. That work, MPS said, is expected to be done by the end of December.