Schools

St. Louis Park Junior and Senior High Schools Reopen Wednesday

The buildings were shut down the last two days due to asbestos concerns.

Class will be in session at the St. Louis Park junior and senior high schools Wednesday after asbestos concerns closed the buildings Monday morning, sending staff and students home for almost two days.

Independent consultants hired by the district cleaned the two schools and determined they were safe for use late Tuesday.

Asbestos concerns rose to the forefront over the weekend, when staff members at both buildings noticed tiles that were particularly worn down due to salt and sand dragged inside. Older tiling from the 1960s and '70s, like that used at the schools, often was made with asbestos, so officials decided to test the areas. A positive test result at the high school early Monday led to the closures.

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The tiles in question were removed from the buildings, and consultants spent the latter part of Monday and all of Tuesday checking whether asbestos had been dragged to other parts of the buildings.

Asbestos is fibrous material that, when inhaled, can lead to lung problems, such as mesothelioma. Tiles that contain asbestos are generally safe when properly sealed, but significant wear and tear can release the fibers. No health issues were reported at the two schools, said district spokeswoman Sara Thompson, who added that the schools were closed as a "precaution."

Find out what's happening in St. Louis Parkwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

For more about what the school district is doing city-wide about the asbestos issue, see this .


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