Classes will Resume In-Person at Grand Rapids School Following Worries About Falling Wall

Innovation Central High and Grand Rapids Montessori Middle High will start teaching in person again on Monday. There were worries that a wall at the combined school building at 421 Fountain St. NE might fall down.

Returns on Monday

Leadriane Roby, the superintendent of Grand Rapids Public Schools, said that courses that were relocated online on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday last week will return on Monday, Nov. 14.

Contractors were concerned about the auditorium wall’s structural stability due to “possibly compromising degradation.”

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The wall is situated in an area of the structure that was closed off since repairs were taking place there.

As work to permanently fix the wall gets under way, Roby said structural experts came to the conclusion that the structure is safe for students to continue their studies there.

Work on Stabilising the Wall

Engineers informed district authorities that as long as wind speeds don’t exceed 25 mph, construction workers may safely work on stabilising the wall. According to their advice, the structure shouldn’t be used if wind gusts exceed 55 mph.

In response to their concerns, district authorities contacted a meteorology specialist, who informed them that storms with winds that high are exceptional and well-predicted, giving district officials the time to “make adequate measures in advance.”

“Our first goal is safety.” “We are certain that our facility is secure, and we are eager to have our students back in the classroom,” added Roby.

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“We understand that this situation has caused a great deal of hardship for our families, and we have been working around the clock to address this issue so that things may return to normal for our students as soon as is safely feasible.”

For parents, guardians, and students to understand more about the situation, the district organised two virtual meetings on Friday, November 11, one in the late morning and the other in the early evening.