Alexandria elementary school closed due to potential lead exposure

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Leaders at Naomi L. Brooks Elementary School say a window replacement project has resulted in lead exposure at the school. As a result, the school will be closed for the rest of the week while crews work to fix the problem. 

Crews are working to clean the school. Once cleaning is complete, clearance testing will be conducted to confirm that the remediation efforts were effective in removing lead-containing dust, the school said. Clearance testing has to be completed and results verified to meet acceptable thresholds prior to the reopening of the school.

Superintendent Dr. Melanie Kay-Wyatt and Chief Operating Officer Dr. Alicia Hart sent a letter to parents and the staff discussing next steps. While the school is closed, students can access asynchronous learning activities on the Naomi L. Brooks Emergency Closure Learning Activities webpage.

Meanwhile, a community meeting is scheduled on Zoom Tuesday evening to provide an update and answer any questions. The meeting is scheduled to take place from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. The meeting can be accessed here.

The Alexandria Health Department (AHD) says it is working closely with the school to provide guidance on health and lead safety.

"Students, staff and faculty at Naomi L. Brooks are recommended to get a blood lead level test," the health department said. "A blood lead level test can be requested from a health care provider. Providers can contact AHD for more information on testing and lead safety."

The health department said it is securing staff and resources to provide testing to students, faculty and staff from Naomi L. Brooks this week.

Additional updates are expected to be posted on the school's web page, here.