MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Students attending Cummings K-8 Optional School in Memphis will spend an additional week at LaRose Elementary School as City of Memphis and Shelby County officials continue to figure out what led to a partial ceiling collapse at the school Monday, Memphis-Shelby County Schools said in a release Wednesday.
MSCS said they are working to determine a date to re-open the school, and a professional engineer is reviewing the building where part of the drop ceiling fell as well as the remainder of Cummings school.
"This is not a decision that the District is making lightly or alone," MSCS said. "As always, we are consulting all necessary agencies and authorities having jurisdiction."
The district said they began additional District-wide reviews on all buildings older than 70 years with drop ceilings to check for signs of any abnormalities.
The building at Cummings K-8 that houses the library where part of the drop ceiling collapsed Monday dates to 1930 when it was used as an auditorium, and the drop ceiling was installed in 1982, according to MSCS.
MSCS said they are thankful for the warm welcome that school leaders and staff at LaRose Elementary extended to the Cummings K-8 Optional School community.
On Tuesday, a welcome sign and their teachers and crossing guard greeted Cummings families.
MSCS Deputy Superintendents Dr. Angela Whitelaw and Dr. John Barker also personally checked on the one staff member that went to the hospital and also reached out to the other two Cummings employees who were treated on Monday.