GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — As a precaution, Grand Rapids Public Schools is closing North Park Montessori on Monday and Tuesday while they investigate if asbestos is in the plaster at the school building.
The district alerted parents about the possible asbestos on Friday, saying that construction crews working on an air conditioning project discovered they make have been cutting and drilling plaster that might have asbestos.
The construction has been going on for six weeks.
RELATED: GRPS to continue with widespread, aggressive testing of asbestos at North Park Montessori School
On Saturday, GRPS Communications Director John Helmholdt said that the school immediately took air samples and had them tested overnight. Those tests came back negative for asbestos. However the district plans to test 50-70 more samples.
After Tuesday, 1st - 8th grade students of North Park Montessori will be temporarily relocated to GRPS University for classes. The district said that additional communications will be sent to parents regarding transportation from North Park to GRPS among other topics.
An open house of North Park Montessori at GRPS University is scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 19 at 6 p.m. so that parents can become familiar with the new location.
The "little" North Park Montessori at Wellerwood will be open on Monday and Tuesday because it was not affected by the construction.
School officials say the students will likely have to make up the missed days at the end of the school year.
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