Summit families tour Broad Street school
Summit Township Elementary School students got a chance to tour their substitute building Friday night when the district held an open house at Broad Street Elementary School.
As officials continue to work toward a solution to the water problems at Summit elementary, which still has lead and copper in its water according to recent test results, the school board opted to cancel school for four days this week and have the students come to Broad Street starting Monday.
Teachers and parent volunteers got to work Wednesday moving over nearly all the classroom materials from Summit including desks, books and classroom decorations, principal William Chwalik said.
“Everything was shrink-wrapped. We packed up everything from that school and brought it here,” he said.
Broad Street school has been vacant since the end of the 2015 school year when the district consolidated its schools and shifted some grades to new buildings. Chwalik was the Broad Street principal for its last three years before moving to Summit and said that the two buildings are roughly the same size, meaning Broad Street has enough space to comfortably house Summit's 260 pupils.
Though some parents said they were nervous about their children changing buildings and coming to the city, several complimented the staff for making Broad Street feel like home on short notice.
“I think they've done a fantastic job getting this building ready. It's the same everything, just a different building,” said Patricia Johnston who toured the school with her grandson Tyler Schiebel.
Tyler, a third grade student, attended Clearfield Township Elementary School for two years and moved to Summit after consolidation. Broad Street will be his third elementary school, though he seemed unfazed Friday.
“It's pretty cool here,” he said.
