MPS Will Reopen School Shuttered Because of Lead Dust

Trowbridge School of Great Lakes Studies. Photo by Jeramey Jannene.

Following an abatement effort, students can return to a school that recently showed lead levels in one window sill 760 times the acceptable level.

With Milwaukee Health Department (MHD) clearance, Milwaukee Public Schools will welcome parents and staff back to Trowbridge School of Great Lakes Studies, 1943 E. Trowbridge St.

The school was temporarily closed starting March 3 following a health department site visit that found an employee scraping a surface with lead paint without any containment. Lab analysis of approximately 160 swabs from other locations in the building, including those previously appropriately abated for lead paint, found lead dust levels in excess of acceptable levels.

The 245 students and approximately 40 staff members had been relocated from the Bay View school to Wisconsin Conservatory of Lifelong Learning near Downtown.

The health department had initiated its investigation of Trowbridge after a home remediation for a student with elevated blood lead levels didn’t result in levels falling to an expected level. It followed a similar pattern where investigations at three other MPS schools resulted in lead hazards in schools being identified as the likely source of lead poisoning.

But because of the paint scraping concern and widespread lead dust revelation, MPS and MHD decided to temporarily closed Trowbridge for remediation.

The district, with health department oversight, has now completed an abatement effort at the property. “We are pleased to inform you that  Trowbridge School has passed its clearance check following the latest
round of lead hazard remediation and cleaning. The City of Milwaukee Health Department (MHD) has verified that lead dust levels now meet safety standards, allowing the school to reopen,” says a letter from the district to parents.

Deputy Commissioner of Environmental Health Tyler Weber said last Friday that a follow-up analysis showed only five areas of concern after an initial abatement effort. He said the council could possibly be safe to reopen as early as Monday with certain areas still sealed for further cleaning, but the reopening ultimately did not move forward immediately.

The window sill that showed a 76,000 micrograms per square centimeter reading, the highest reading by many multiples from a Feb. 22 sampling, was not located in an area accessible to students. But floors throughout the building were found to contain lead dust, as were several other areas. One of the remediation efforts implemented was to seal the concrete floors in an attempt to make them less likely to retain lead dust after cleaning.

A clinic, the first of several, is scheduled for Saturday for parents and staff members concerned about lead exposure to be tested. Children are to be tested annually up to the age of six, but MHD officials said Friday that only 40% actually are.

The district’s lead-safe practices have come under question during the series of revelations that started in February. Interim school administrative officer Michael Harris said the district is committed to retraining its workers.

“We appreciate the patience and cooperation of our families and staff during this process. The health and safety of our students remain our top priority, and we will continue working closely with MHD to ensure Trowbridge remains a safe learning environment,” says the letter.

No amount of lead is safe, and the heavy metal poses a substantial risk for children, who can experience developmental delays, learning difficulties, behavioral problems and other serious health issues.

“MPS will continue enhanced cleaning and maintenance protocols throughout the building to ensure the school remains safe for students and staff. MHD will remain engaged to support MPS in upholding safety standards. MPS will also work to ensure students and staff only drink from filtered water stations,” says the letter.

The city previously replaced all lead service lines connecting schools to the city’s water system, but internal lead plumbing remains in some schools. City health officials have long maintained that lead poisoning occurs most frequently locally from lead-based paint.

MHD and MPS previously said that MHD would conduct visual assessments of 10 more schools, but that parents at the schools would be notified before the media. The list of schools has yet to be published.

The lead abatement problem exploded in 2025 because MHD expanded its Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program investigations. “What started this whole thing is we had levels in cases that weren’t going down,” said Commissioner Michael Totoraitis on Feb. 28. For cases of blood lead levels at or above 10 micrograms per deciliter, a case manager conducts an assessment to determine likely sources of exposure.

MHD, in assessments, has also identified lead hazards at Maryland Avenue Montessori School, Golda Meir School‘s Lower Campus and Albert E. Kagel School.

More information on upcoming clinics and the specific investigations is available on the MHD website.

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