RTM Superintendent, District Exploring Every Location for Media Elementary

Superintendent reiterated his previous statements regarding the temporary building closure of at Thursday's school board meeting.

, the school will close for repairs and the students will be relocated during the next school year.

Superintendent James Wigo said in his Superintendent's Report Thursday that the structural problems were first communicated to the RTM community in January.

"After a careful inspection of the entire roof structure, we were advised that it was necessary to close four rooms on the third floor. Three of these rooms were full-time classrooms and were originally thought to be the only rooms that might require repair," Wigo said.

However, upon further investigation it was discovered that the roof trusses in an entire wing of the building will have to be replaced, he said. The roof structures are original to the building and are about 100 years old.

"We have received a final report from the structural engineer and it is his recommendation that the building be unoccupied during the remediation of the problem," Wigo said. "We will be required to move the entire Media Elementary School operation to another location for up to one full academic year."

He said the district is exploring every possible option with the "two-pronged priority" of trying to keep the school in Media Borough and keep the 400 students together as a unit.

"We are exploring every option and I hope, very soon, that I can report back to this board and this community with a recommended solution." Wigo said. 

Parents and the school community will continue to be informed through town meetings, the district website, the Global Connect Telephone System and has 135 members as of Friday morning, he said.

"This is a tremendous undertaking...and I wanted to thank Principal Maria Kotch, as well as the staff, as well as the parents of the Media Elementary School for a wonderful week we had, in terms of preparation and brainstorming and suggestions and inclusion in our process, as preliminary as it is. We'll continue to look for that kind of input," Wigo said.

RTM School District Solicitor Thomas Kelly said the district is also conducting meetings with Media Borough Council so they are fully informed during the process as the district will need their cooperation and help.

"They've been very helpful to us, very receptive, to what we're discussing with them and we appreciate that and we'll continue to keep them in the loop as to what's going on because we'll be partnering with them on a number of fronts as this move takes place, wherever it may be," Kelly said.